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Full text of "The rule and exercises of holy living. In which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every virtue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations. Together with prayers, containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion fitted to all occasions, and furnished for all necessities .."

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Presented    by  rTlrS.Ckc7^rle.S  U.Uiken 


BV  4500  .T29  1849 
Taylor,  Jeremy,  1613-1667. 
The  rule  and  exercises  of 
holy  living 


THE      ' 

RULE    AND    E:?^^"""'" 

HOLY    L  I  V  iTraT 

IN  WHICH  ARE  DESCRIBED 

THE  MEANS  AND    INSTRUMENTS    OF    OBTAINING  EVERY 

VIRTUE, 

AND  THE  REMEDIES  AGAINST  EVERY  VICE, 

AND  CONSIDERATIONS  SERVING  TO  THE  RESISTING 

ALL    TEMPTATIONS, 

TOGETHER  WITH 

33  I  a  2  t  r  sf, 

CONTAINING 

THE   WHOLE   DUTY   OF   A   CHRISTIAN, 

AND    THE     PARTS     OF     DEVOTION     FITTED    TO    ALL    OCCASIONS, 
AND   FURNISHED    FOR    ALL    NECESSITIES. 

By    JEREMY   TAYLOE,   D.D. 

AFTERWARDS  LORD  BISHOP   OF  DOWN  AND  CONNOR,  AND  OF  DROMORE. 

A  NEW  EDITION. 

OXFORD : 

JOHN    HENRY   PARKER; 

AND  377,  STRAND,  LONDON. 

JBDCCCXI.IX. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


In  the  following  pages  the  whole  of  the  Text  of 
Bishop  Taylor's  treatise  is  given — without  altera- 
tion or  omission — according  to  the  earliest  and  best 
editions.  Some  of  the  marginal  illustrations  from  the 
Greek  and  Latin  Classics  &c.  have,  however,  been 
left  out :  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  references  to 
Holy  Scripture  have  been  both  carefully  corrected, 
and  very  considerably  increased  in  number. 


THE  EIGHT  HONOURABLE  AND  TRULY  NOBLE 

EICHAED 

LORD  VAUGHAN,  EARL  OF  CAREER  Y, 

KNIGHT  OF  THE  HONOURABLE  ORDER  OF  THE  BATH. 

My  Lord, 

I  HATE  lived  to  see  Religion  painted  upon  Banners, 
and  thrust  out  of  Churches,  and  the  Temple  turned 
into  a  Tabernacle,  and  that  Tabernacle  made  ambula- 
tory, and  covered  with  skins  of  beasts  and  torn  cur- 
tains, and  God  to  be  worshipped  not  as  He  is  the 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  (an  afflicted  Prince,  the 
King  of  sufferings)  nor  as  the  God  of  peace  (which 
two  appellatives  God  newly  took  upon  Him  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  glories  in  for  ever ;)  but  He  is 
owned  now  rather  as  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  which  title 
He  was  pleased  to  lay  aside  when  the  Kingdom  of  the 
Gospel  was  preached  by  the  Prince  of  peace.  But 
when  Religion  puts  on  armour,  and  God  is  not 
acknowledged  by  His  New-Testament  titles,  Religion 
may  have  in  it  the  power  of  the  sword,  but  not  the 
power  of  godliness ;  and  we  may  complain  of  this  to 
God,  and  amongst  them  that  are  afflicted,  but  we 
have  no  remedy,  but  what  we  must  expect  from  the 
fellowship  of  Christ's  sufferings,  and  the  returns  of 
the  God  of  peace.  In  the  mean  time,  and  now  that 
Religion  pretends  to  stranger  actions  upon  new  prin- 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY.  V 

ciples,  and  men  are  apt  to  prefer  a  prosperous  error 
before  an  afflicted  truth,  and  some  wQl  think  they  are 
religious  enough  if  their  worshippings  have  in  them 
the  prevailing  ingredient,  and  the  Ministers  of  Reli- 
gion are  so  scattered  that  they  cannot  unite  to  stop 
the  inundation,  and  from  chairs  or  pulpits,  from  their 
Synods   or   Tribunals,  chastise    the    iniquity    of  the 
error  and  the  ambition  of  evil  guides,  and  the  infi- 
delity of  the  willingly-seduced   multitude,   and  that 
those  few  good  people  who  have   no   other  plot   in 
their  Religion  but  to  serve  God  and  save  their  souls, 
do  want  such  assistances  of  ghostly  counsel  as  may 
serve  their  emergent  needs,  and  assist  their  endeavours 
in  the  acquist  of  virtues,  and  relieve  their  dangers 
when  they  are  tempted  to  sin  and  death ;  I  thought  I 
had  reasons  enough  inviting  me  to  draw  into  one  body 
those  advices  which  the  several  necessities  of  many 
men  must  use  at  some  time  or  other,  and  many  of 
them  daily :    that  by  a   collection  of  holy  precepts 
they  might  less  feel  the  want  of  personal  and  attend- 
ing guides,  and  that  the  rules  for  conduct  of  Souls 
might  be   committed    to  a  book  which   they  might 
always  have ;    since   they   could  not    always  have  a 
Prophet  at  their  needs,  nor  be  suffered  to  go  up  to  the 
House  of  the  Lord  to  inquire  of  the  appointed  oracles. 
I  know,  my  Lord,  that  there  are  some  interested  per- 
sons who  add  scorn  to  the  afflictions  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  because  she  is  afflicted  by  men,  call  her 
forsaken  of  the  Lord;  and  because  her  solemn  assem- 
blies are  scattered,  think  that  the  Religion  is  lost,  and 
the  Church  divorced  from  God,  supposing  Christ  (who 
was  a  man  of  sorrows)  to  be  angry  w^ith  His  spouse 
when  she  is  like  Him,  [for  that  is  the  true  state  of  the 
error]  and  that  He  who  promised  His  Spirit  to  assist 
His  servants  in  their  troubles,  will,  because  they  are 
in  trouble,  take  away  the  Comforter  from  them,  who 


vi  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

cannot  be  a  comforter,  but  while  He  cures  our  sad- 
nesses, and  relieves  our  sorrows,  and  turns  our  perse- 
cutions into  joys,  and  crowns,  and  sceptres.  But 
concerning  the  present  state  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land^ I  consider,  that  because  we  now  want  the  bless- 
ings of  external  communion  in  many  degrees,  and  the 
circumstances  of  a  prosperous  and  unafflicted  people, 
we  are  to  take  estimate  of  ourselves  with  single  judg- 
ments, and  every  man  is  to  give  sentence  concerning 
the  state  of  his  own  Soul  by  the  precepts  and  rules  of 
our  Law -giver  ^  not  by  the  after-decrees  and  usages  of 
the  Church ;  that  is,  by  the  essential  parts  of  Religion 
rather  than  by  the  uncertain  significations  of  any  ex- 
terior adherencies :  for  though  it  be  uncertain,  when 
a  man  is  the  member  of  a  Church,  whether  he  be  a 
member  to  Christ  or  no,  because  in  the  Church's  net 
there  are  fishes  good  and  bad ;  yet  we  may  be  sure, 
that  if  we  be  members  of  Christ,  we  are  of  a  Church 
to  all  purposes  of  spiritual  Religion  and  salvation ; 
and,  in  order  to  this,  give  me  leave  to  speak  this  great 
truth : 

That  man  does  certainly  belong  to  God,  who  1. 
Believes  and  is  baptized  into  all  the  Articles  of  the 
Christian  Faith,  and  studies  to  improve  his  knowledge 
in  the  matters  of  God,  so  as  may  best  make  him  to 
live  a  holy  life.  2.  He  that  in  obedience  to  Christ 
worships  God  diligently,  frequently,  and  constantly, 
with  natural  Religion,  that  is,  of  prayer,  praises  and 
thanksgiving.  3.  He  that  takes  all  opportunities  to 
remember  Christ's  death  by  a  frequent  Sacrament  (as 
it  can  be  had ;)  or  else  by  inward  acts  of  understand- 
ing, will,  and  memory,  (which  is  the  spiritual  com- 
munion,) supplies  the  want  of  the  external  rite.  4.  He 
that  lives  chastely ;  5.  And  is  merciful ;  6.  And  de- 
spises the  world,  using  it  as  a  man,  but  never  suffer- 
ing it  to  rifle  a  duty ;    7.  And  is  just  in  his  dealing, 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATOKY.  VU 

and  diligent  in  his  calling.  8.  He  that  is  humble  in 
his  spirit,  9.  And  obedient  to  government,  10.  And 
content  in  his  fortune  and  employment.  11.  He  that 
does  his  duty  because  he  loves  God:  12.  And  espe- 
cially if  after  all  this  he  be  afflicted,  and  patient,  or 
prepared  to  suffer  affliction  for  the  cause  of  God.  The 
man  that  hath  these  twelve  signs  of  grace  and  predes- 
tination, does  as  certainly  belong  to  God,  and  is  His 
son,  as  surely  as  he  is  His  creature. 

And  if  my  brethren  in  persecution,  and  in  the  bonds 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  can  truly  shew  these  marks,  they 
shall  not  need  be  troubled  that  others  can  shew  a 
prosperous  outside,  great  revenues,  pubHc  assem- 
blies, uninterrupted  successions  of  Bishops,  prevailing 
armies,  or  any  arm  of  tlesh,  or  less  certain  circum- 
stance. These  are  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and 
the  characters  of  a  Christian  :  this  is  a  good  Religion  : 
and  these  things  God's  grace  hath  put  into  our  powers, 
and  God's  Laws  have  made  to  be  our  duty,  and  the 
nature  of  men  and  the  needs  of  commonwealths  have 
made  to  be  necessary.  The  other  accidents  and  pomps 
of  a  Church  are  things  without  our  power,  and  are  not 
in  our  choice :  they  are  good  to  be  used  when  they 
may  be  had,  and  they  help  to  illustrate  or  advantage 
it:  but  if  any  of  them  constitute  a  Church  in  the 
being  of  a  Society  and  a  Government,  yet  they  are  not 
of  its  constitution  as  it  is  Christian,  and  hopes  to  be 
saved. 

And  now  the  case  is  so  with  us,  that  we  are  re- 
duced to  that  Religion  which  no  man  can  forbid,  which 
we  can  keep  in  the  midst  of  a  persecution,  by  which 
the  Martyrs  in  the  days  of  our  fathers  went  to 
Heaven ;  that  by  which  we  can  be  servants  of  God, 
and  receive  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  make  use  of  His 
comforts,  and  live  in  His  love  and  in  charity  with  all 
men:  and  they  that  do  so,  cannot  perish. 


Mil  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 

My  Lord,  I  have  now  described  some  general  lines 
and  features  of  that  Religion,  which  I  have  more  par- 
ticularly set  down  in  the  following  pages  :  in  which  I 
have  neither  served  nor  disserved  the  interest  of  any 
party  of  Christians  as  they  are  divided  by  uncharitable 
names  from  the  rest  of  their  brethren,  and  no  man 
will  have  reason  to  be  angry  with  me  for  refusing  to 
mingle  in  his  unnecessary  or  vicious  quarrels;  especi- 
ally while  I  study  to  do  him  good  by  conducting  him 
in  the  narrow  way  to  Heaven,  without  intricating  him 
in  the  labyrinths  and  wild  turnings  of  questions  and 
uncertain  talkings.  I  have  told  what  men  ought  to 
do,  and  by  what  means  they  may  be  assisted ;  and  in 
most  cases  I  have  also  told  them  why ;  and  yet  with 
as  much  quickness  as  I  could  think  necessary  to  esta- 
blish a  rule,  and  not  to  engage  in  Homilj*  or  Discourse. 
In  the  use  of  which  rules  (although  they  are  plain, 
useful,  and  fitted  for  the  best  and  worst  understand- 
i.igs,  and  for  the  needs  of  all  men,  yet)  I  shall  desire 
the  reader  to  proceed  with  the  following  advices. 

1.  They  that  will  with  profit  make  use  of  the  pro- 
per instruments  of  virtue,  must  so  live,  as  if  they  were 
always  under  the  physician's  hand.  For  the  counsels 
of  Religion  are  not  to  be  applied  to  the  distempers  of 
the  Soul,  as  men  use  to  take  hellebore;  but  they 
must  dwell  together  with  the  Spirit  of  a  man,  and  be 
twisted  about  his  understanding  for  ever:  they  must 
be  used  like  nourishment,  that  is,  by  a  daily  care  and 
meditation ;  not  like  a  single  medicine,  and  upon  the 
actual  pressure  of  a  present  necessity.  For  counsels 
and  wise  discourses  applied  to  an  actual  distemper  at 
the  best  are  but  like  strong  smells  to  an  epileptic 
person,  sometimes  they  may  raise  him,  but  they  never 
cure  him.  The  following  rules  if  they  be  made  fami- 
liar to  our  natures,  and  the  thoughts  of  every  day, 
may  make  virtue  and  Religion  become  easy  and  habi- 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATOHT.  IX 

tual:  but  when  the  temptation  is  present,  and  hath 
already  seized  upon  some  portions  of  our  consent,  we 
are  not  so  apt  to  be  counselled,  and  we  find  no  gust  or 
relish  in  the  precept ;  the  lessons  are  the  same,  but  the 
instrument  is  unstrung,  or  out  of  tune. 

2.  In  using  the  instruments  of  virtue  we  must  be 
curious  to  distinguish  instruments  from  duties,  and 
prudent  advices  from  necessary  injunctions;  and  if  by 
any  other  means  the  duty  can  be  secured,  let  there  be 
no  scruples  stirred  concerning  any  other  helps :  only, 
if  they  can  in  that  case  strengthen  and  secure  the  duty, 
or  helj)  towards  perseverance,  let  them  serve  in  that 
station  in  which  they  can  be  placed.  For  there  are  some 
persons  in  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  hath  breathed  so 
bright  a  flame  of  love,  that  they  do  all  their  acts  of 
virtue  by  perfect  choice  and  without  objection,  and 
their  zeal  is  warmer  than  that  it  will  be  allayed  by 
temptation  :  and  to  such  persons  mortification  by  phi- 
losophical instruments,  as  fasting,  sackcloth,  and  other 
rudenesses  to  the  body,  is  wholly  useless;  it  is  always 
a  more  uncertain  means  to  acquire  any  virtue,  or 
secure  any  duty ;  and  if  love  hath  filled  all  the  corners 
of  our  Soul,  it  alone  is  able  to  do  all  the  work  of  God. 

3.  Be  not  nice  in  stating  the  obligations  of  Religion ; 
but  where  the  duty  is  necessary,  and  the  means  very 
reasonable  in  itself,  dispute  not  too  busily  whether  in 
all  circumstances  it  can  fit  thy  particular ;  but  stiper 
totam  materia)-}!,  upon  the  whole,  make  use  of  it.  For 
it  is  a  good  sign  of  a  great  Religion,  and  no  impru- 
dence, when  we  have  sufliciently  considered  the  sub- 
stance of  afl\urs,  then  to  be  easy,  humble,  obedient, 
apt  and  credulous  in  the  circumstances  which  are 
appointed  to  us  in  particular  by  our  spiritual  guides, 
or  in  general  by  all  wise  men  in  cases  not  unlike.  He 
that  gives  alms,  does  best,  not  always  to  consider  the 
minutes  and  strict  measures  of  his  ability,  but  to  give 


X  THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATOKY. 

freely,  incuriously,  and  abundantly.  A  man  must  not 
weigh  grains  in  the  accounts  of  his  repentance ;  but 
for  a  great  sin  have  a  great  sorrow,  and  a  great  severity, 
and  in  this  take  the  ordinary  advices;  though  it  may 
be  a  less  rigour  might  not  be  insufficient :  aKpi^oblnaiov, 
or  arithmetical  measures,  especially  of  our  own  pro- 
portioning, are  but  arguments  of  want  of  love  and  of 
forwardness  in  Religion;  or  else  are  instruments  of 
scruple,  and  then  become  dangerous.  Use  the  rule 
heartily  and  enough,  and  there  will  be  no  harm  in  thy 
error,  if  any  should  happen. 

4.  If  thou  intendest  heartily  to  serve  God,  and 
avoid  sin  in  any  one  instance,  refuse  not  the  hardest 
and  most  severe  advice  that  is  prescribed  in  order  to 
it,  though  possibly  it  be  a  stranger  to  thee ;  for  what- 
soever it  be,  custom  will  make  it  easy. 

5.  When  any  instruments  for  the  obtaining  any 
virtue  or  restraining  any  vice  are  propounded,  observe 
which  of  them  fits  thy  person,  or  the  circumstances  of 
thy  need,  and  use  it  rather  than  the  other ;  that  by 
this  means  thou  mayest  be  engaged  to  watch  and  use 
spiritual  arts  and  observation  about  thy  Soul.  Con- 
cerning the  managing  of  which,  as  the  interest  is 
greater,  so  the  necessities  are  more  and  the  cases 
more  intricate,  and  the  accidents  and  dangers  greater 
and  more  importunate;  and  there  is  greater  skill 
required  than  in  the  securing  an  estate,  or  restoring 
health  to  an  infirm  body.  I  wish  all  men  in  the  world 
did  heartily  believe  so  much  of  this  as  is  true :  it  would 
very  much  help  to  do  the  work  of  God. 

Thus  (my  Lord)  I  have  made  bold  by  your  hand  to 
reach  out  this  little  scroll  of  cautions  to  all  those  who, 
by  seeing  your  honoured  names  set  before  my  book, 
shall  by  the  fairness  of  such  a  frontispiece  be  invited 
to  look  into  it,  I  must  confess  it  cannot  but  look  like 
a  design  in  me  to  borrow  your  name  and  beg  your 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY.  XI 

patronage  to  my  book,  that  if  there  be  no  other  worth 
in  it,  yet  at  least  it  may  have  the  splendor  and  warmth 
of  a  burning-glass,  which,  borrowing  a  flame  from  the 
eye  of  Heaven,  shines  and  burns  by  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  its  patron.  I  will  not  quit  myself  from  the  sus- 
picion :  for  I  cannot  pretend  it  to  be  a  present  either 
of  itself  fit  to  be  offered  to  such  a  personage,  or  any 
part  of  a  just  return  (but  I  humbly  desire  you  would 
own  it  for  an  acknowledgment)  of  those  great  endear- 
ments and  noblest  usages  you  have  past  upon  me : 
but  so,  men  in  their  Religion  give  a  piece  of  gum,  or 
the  fat  of  a  cheap  lamb,  in  Sacrifice  to  Him  that  gives 
them  all  that  they  have  or  need :  and  unless  He  who 
was  pleased  to  employ  your  lordship  as  a  great  minis- 
ter of  His  providence  in  making  a  promise  of  His 
good  to  me,  the  meanest  of  His  servants,  \that  he  would 
never  leave  me  nor  forsake  me']  shall  enable  me  by 
greater  services  of  Religion  to  pay  my  great  debt  to 
your  honour,  I  must  still  increase  my  score,  since  I 
shall  noAv  spend  as  much  in  my  needs  of  pardon  for 
this  boldness,  as  in  the  reception  of  those  favours  by 
which  I  stand  accountable  to  your  lordship,  in  all  the 
bands  of  service  and  gratitude;  though  I  am  in  the 
deepest  sense  of  duty  and  affection. 

My  most  honoured  Lord, 

Your  honour's  most  obliged  and 

most  humble  servant, 

JER.  TAYLOR. 


THE  CONTENTS. 

CHAP.  I. 

PAGE 

Consideration  of  the  general  instruments  and 
means  serving  to  a  holy  life,  by  way  of  intro- 
DUCTION .  .  .  .  .  .1 

Sect.  I. — Care  of  Time,  and  the  manner  of  spending  it     .       3 
Twenty-three  rules  for  employing  our  time         .  .       6 

The  five  benefits  of  this  exercise  .  .  .13 

Sect.   II. — Purity   of  Intention    or  purpose  in  all  our 

actions,  &c.  .....    ib. 

Ten  rules  for  our  Intentions       .  .  .  .15 

Eight  signs  of  Purity  of  Intention  .  .  .17 

Three  Appendant  Considerations  .  .  .20 

Sect.  III. — The  Consideration  and  practice  of  the  pre- 
sence of  God  .  .  .  .  .  .21 

Six  several  manners  of  the  Divine  presence       .  .     22 

Ten  rules  of  exercising  this  consideration  .  .     26 

The  five  benefits  of  this  exercise  .  .  .28 

Prayers  and  Devotions  according  to  the  Religion  and 

purposes  of  the  foregoing  Considerations        .  .     30 

Devotions  for  ordinary  days         .  .  .  .     ib. 

CHAP.  II. 

Of  Christian  Charity                .             .             .  .     48 

Sect.  I. — Of  Sobriety  in  the  general  sense             .  .     ib. 

Five  evil  consequents  of  Voluptuousness  or  Sensuality      49 

Three  Degrees  of  Sobriety          .              .             .  .50 

Six  rules  for  suppressing  Voluptviousness           .  .     ib. 

Sect.  II. — Of  Temperance  in  Eating  and  Drinking  .     53 

Four  Measures  of  Temperance  in  Eating            .  .     54 

Eight  Signs  and  Effects  of  Temperance              .  .     55 

Of  Drunkenness              .             .             .             .  .56 

Seven  Evil  consequents  to  Drunkenness            .  .     57 


CONTENTS. 


Xlll 


PAGE 

Eight  Signs  of  Drunkenness      .  .  .  .59 

Eleven  Rules  for  obtaining  Temperance  .  .     60 

Sect.  III.— Of  Chastity  .  .  .  .62 

The  ten  evil  consequents  of  Uncleanness  .  .     65 

Seven  acts  of  Chastity  in  general  .  .  .69 

Five  acts  of  Virginal  or  Maiden  Chastity  .  .     70 

Five  rules  for  Widows  or  Vidual  Chastity  .  .71 

Six  rules  for  married  persons,  or  Matrimonial  Chastity  72 
Ten  remedies  against  Uncleanness  .  .  .75 

Sect.  IV.— Of  Humility  .  .  .  .79 

Nine  arguments  against  Pride,  by  way  of  consideration  ib. 
Nineteen  acts  or  offices  of  Humility       .  .  .81 

Fourteen  means  and  exercises  of  obtaining  and  increas- 
ing the  grace  of  Humility       .  .  .  .86 
Seventeen  signs  of  Humility      .             .             .  .91 

Sect.  V.— Of  Modesty      .  .  .  .  .92 

Four  acts  and  duties  of  Modesty  as  it  is  opposed  to 
Curiosity         .  .  .  .  .  .93 

Six  acts  of  Modesty  as  it  is  opposed  to  Boldness  .     96 

Ten  acts  of  Modesty  as  it  is  opposed  to  Indecency  .     97 

Sect.  VI. — Of  Contentedness  in  all  estates,  &c.  .     99 

Two  general  arguments  for  Content       .  .  .101 

Eight  Instruments  or  exercises  to  procure  Contentedness  104 
Eight  means  to  obtain  Content,  by  way  of  consideration  114 
The  consideration  applied  to  particular  cases     .  .     ib. 

Of  Poverty  or  a  low  Fortune      .  .  .  .121 

The  charge  of  many  Children  ....  126 
Violent  necessities  .  .  •  .  .  127 

Death  of  Children,  Friends,  &c.  ...  128 

Untimely  Death  .  .  .  .  .129 

Death  unseasonable        .  .  .  .  .131 

Sudden  death  or  violent  .  .  .  .132 

Being  Childless  .  .  .  .  .     ib. 

Evil,  or  unfortunate  Children  .  .  133 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

Our  own  Death  .....  133 

Prayers  for  the  several  graces  and  parts  of  Christian 
sobriety,  fitted  to  tlie  necessity  of  several  persons        .  134 

CHAP.  III. 
Of  Christian  Justice         ....  139 

Sect,  I. — Of  Obedience  to  Superiors         .  .  .140 

Fifteen  acts  and  duties  of  Obedience  to  all  our  Superiors    141 
Twelve  remedies  against  Disobedience,  by  way  of  con- 
sideration       .  .  .  .  .  .144 

Three  Degrees  of  Obedience       ....  148 

Sect.  II. — Of  Provision,  or  that  part  of  Justice  which  is 

due  from  Superiors  to  Inferiors  .  .  .   149 

Twelve  duties  of  Kings  and  all  the  Supreme  power,  as 
Law-givers      .  .  .  .  .  .     ib. 

Two  duties  of  Superiors  as  they  are  Judges        .  .152 

Five  duties  of  Parents  to  their  Children  .  .153 

Duty  of  Husbands  and  "Wives  reciprocally         .  .  155 

Seven  duties  of  Masters  of  Families  .  .  156 

Duty  of  Guardians  or  Tutors  .  .  .     ib. 

Sect.  III. — Of  Negotiation,  or  Civil  Contracts    .  .  157 

Thirteen  rules  and  measures  of  Justice  in  bargaining     .     ib. 
Sect.  IV.— Of  Restitution  .  .  .  .161 

Seven  rules  of  making  Restitution  as  it  concerns  the 
persons  obliged  .  .  .  .  .162 

Nine  as  it  concerns  other  circumstances  .  .165 

Prayers  to  be  said  in  relation  to  the  several  Obligations 
and  Offices  of  Justice  ....  168 

CHAP.  IV. 
Of  Christian  Religion       ....  175 

I.  Of  the  internal  actions  of  Religion    .  .  .     ib. 

Sect.  I.— Of  Faith  .  .  .  .  .176 

The  seven  acts  and  offices  of  Faith         .  .  .     ib. 

Two  signs  of  true  Faith  .  .  .  .177 

Eight  means  and  instruments  to  obtain  Faith   .  .180 


CONTENTS.  XV 

rAOJB 

Sect.  IL— Of  Christian  Hope       .             .            .  .181 

The  five  acts  of  Hope                  .             .             .  .182 

Five  rules  to  govern  our  Hope  .             .             .  .183 
Twelve  means  of  Hope,  and  remedies  against  Despair    184 

Sect.  III.— Of  Charity  or  the  Love  of  God          .  .189 

The  eight  acts  of  Love  to  God                 .             .  .191 

The  three  measures  and  rules  of  Divine  Love     .  .193 

Six  helps   to  increase  our  Love   to   God,   by  way  of 

exercise           .             .             .             .             .  .194 

The  two  several  states  of  Love  to  God                .  .  196 

viz.  The  state  of  Obedience                    .             .  .     ib. 

The  state  of  Zeal            .             .             .             .  .197 

Eight  cautions  and  rules  concerning  Zeal           .  .     ib. 

II.  Of  the  external  actions  of  Religion               .  .199 
Sect.  IV.— Of  Reading  or  Hearing  the  Word  of  God  .  200 

Five  general  considerations  concerning  it  .  .     ib. 

Five  rules  for  Hearing  or  Reading  the  Word  .  202 

Four  rules  for  reading  spiritual  Books  or  hearing  Sermons  203 
Sect.  V. — Of  Fasting        .....  204 

Fifteen  rules  for  Christian  Fasting         .  .  .     ib. 

Benefits  of  Fasting         .....  209 
Sect.  VI. — Of  keeping  Festivals,  and  days  holy  to  the 

Lord;  particularly  the  Lord's  day     .  .  .  210 

Ten  rules  for  keeping  the  Lord's  day  and  other  Chris- 
tian Festivals  .....  212 

III.  Of  mixed  actions  of  Religion  .  .  ,  215 
Sect.  VIL— Of  Prayer      ....  216 

Eight  motives  to  Prayer  .  .  .  .     ib. 

Sixteen  rules  for  the  practice  of  Prayer  .  .  217 

Six  cautions  for  making  Vows    ....  224 
Seven  remedies  against  Wandering  thoughts,  &c.  .  225 

Ten  signs  of  tediousness  of  Spirit  in  our  Prayers  and  all 

actions  of  Religion     .....  226 
Eleven  remedies  against  tediousness  of  Spirit    .  .  227 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

PACK 

Sect.  VIII.— Of  Alms      .  .  .  .  .231 

The  eighteen  several  kinds  of  Corporal  Alms     .  .  232 

The  fourteen  several  kinds  of  Spiritual  Alms     .  .233 

The  five  several  kinds  of  mixed  Alms    .  .  .     ib. 

Sixteen  rules  for  giving  Alms  ....  234 
Thirteen  motives  to  Charity  ....  240 
Remedies  against  the  Parents  of  Unmercifulness  .  242 

1.  Nine  against  Envy,  by  way  of  consideration  •     ib. 

2.  Twelve  remedies  against  Anger,  by  way  of  exercise  243 
Thirteen  remedies  against  Anger,  by  way  of  considera- 
tion    .  .  .  .  .  .  .247 

Seven  remedies  against  Covetousness     .  .  .  249 

Sect.  IX. — Of  Repentance  ....  255 

Eleven  acts  and  parts  of  Repentance     .  .  .  257 

Four  motives  to  Repentance      ....  264 

Sect.  X. — Of  Preparation  to,  and  the  manner  how  to  re- 
ceive the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper      .  .  266 
Fourteen  rules  for  preparation  and  worthy  Communi- 
cating             ......  268 

The  effects  and  benefits  of  worthy,  &c.  .  .  274 

Prayers  for  all  sorts  of  men,  &c.  .  .276 


THE 

RULE    AND    EXERCISES 

OF 

i^olB  ILibing,  $cc. 


CHAP.  I. 

CONSIDERATION  OF  THE  GENERAL  INSTRUMENTS  AND 

MEANS  SERVING  TO  A  HOLY  LIFE,  BY  WAY  OF 

INTRODUCTION. 


It  is  necessary  that  every 
man  sliould  consider,  that, 
since  God  hath  given  him 
an  excellent  nature,  wisdom 
and  choice,  an  understand- 
ing soul,  and  an  immortal 
spirit,  having  made  him  lord  ' 
over  the  beasts,  and  but  a 
little  lower  than  the  An- 
gels ;  He  hath  also  appoint- 
ed for  him  a  work  and  a 
service  great  enough  to  em- 
ploy those  abilities,  and 
hath  also  designed  him  to  a 
state  of  life  after  this,  to 
which  he  can  only  arrive 
by  that  service  and  obe- 
dience. And  therefore,  as 
every  man  is  wholly  God's 


own  portion  by  the  title  of 
Creation ;  so  all  our  labours 
and  care,  all  our  powers  and 
faculties,  must  be  wholly 
employed  in  the  service  of 
God,  even  all  the  days  of 
our  life :  that,  this  life  be- 
ing ended,  we  may  live  with 
Him  for  ever. 

Neither  is  it  sufficient, 
that  we  think  of  the  service 
of  God  as  a  work  of  the 
least  necessity,  or  of  small 
employment ;  but  that  it 
be  done  by  us  as  God  in- 
tended it:  that  it  be  done 
with  great  earnestness  and 
passion,  with  much  zeal  and 
desire ;   that  we  refuse  no 


THE  INTRODUCTION  TO  HOLT  LIFE. 


labour,  that  we  bestow  upon 
it  much  time,  that  we  use 
the  best  guides,  and  arrive 
at  the  end  of  glory  by  all 
the  ways  of  grace,  of  pru- 
dence, and  religion. 

And  indeed,  if  we  consi- 
der how  much  of  our  lives 
is  taken  up  by  the  needs  of 
nature ;  how  many  years 
are  wholly  spent,  before  we 
come  to  any  use  of  reason ; 
how  many  years  more,  be- 
fore that  reason  is  useful  to 
us  to  any  great  purposes  ; 
how  imperfect  our  discourse 
is  made  by  our  evil  edu- 
cation, false  principles,  ill 
company,  bad  examples,  and 
want  of  experience ;  how 
many  parts  of  our  wisest 
and  best  years  are  spent  in 
eating  and  sleeping,  in 
necessary  businesses  and 
unnecessary  vanities,  in 
worldly  civilities  and  less 
useful  circumstances,  in  the 
learning  arts  and  sciences, 
languages  or  trades  ;  that 
little  portion  of  hours,  that 
is  left  for  the  practices  of 
piety  and  religious  walking 
with  God,  is  so  short  and 
trifling,  that,  were  not  the 
goodness  of  God  infinitely 
great,  it  might  seem  unrea- 
sonable or  impossible  for  us 
to  expect  of  Him  eternal 
joys  in  heaven,  even  after 
the  well  spending  those 
few  minutes,  which  are  left 


for  God  and  God's  service, 
after  we  have  served  our- 
selves and  our  own  occa- 
sions. 

And  yet  it  is  consider- 
able, that  the  fruit,  which 
comes  from  the  many  days 
of  recreation  and  vanity,  is 
very  little ;  and,  although 
we  scatter  much,  yet  we 
gather  but  little  profit :  but 
from  the  few  hours  we  spend 
in  prayer  and  the  exercises 
of  a  pious  life  the  return  is 
great  and  profitable  ;  and 
what  we  sow  in  the  minutes 
and  spare  portions  of  a  few 
years,  grows  up  to  crowns 
and  sceptres  in  a  happy 
and  a  glorious  eternity. 

1.  Therefore,  although  it 
cannot  be  enjoined,  that  the 
greatest  part  of  our  time  be 
spent  in  the  direct  actions 
of  devotion  and  religion, 
yet  it  will  become,  not  only 
a  duty,  but  also  a  great 
providence,  to  lay  aside  for 
the  services  of  God  and  the 
businesses  of  the  Spirit  as 
much  as  we  can :  because 
God  rewards  our  minutes 
with  long  and  eternal  hap- 
piness ;  and  the  greater 
portion  of  our  time  we  give 
to  God,  the  more  we  trea- 
sure up  for  ourselves  ;  and 
No  man  is  a  better  merchant 
than  he  that  lays  out  his 
time  upon  Ood,  and  his 
money  upon  the  poor. 


THE  INTRODUCTION  TO  HOLY  LIFE. 


2.  Only  it  becomes  us  to 
remember,  and  to  adore 
God's  goodness  for  it,  that 
God  hath  not  only  permitted 
us  to  serve  the  necessities 
of  our  nature,  but  hath 
made  them  to  become  parts 
of  our  duty ;  that  if  we,  by 
directing  these  actions  to 
the  glory  of  God,  intend 
them  as  instruments  to  con- 
tinue our  persons  in  His  ser- 
vice, He,  by  adopting  them 
into  religion,  may  turn  our 
nature  into  grace,  and  ac- 
cept our  natural  actions  as 
actions  of  Religion.  God  is 
pleased  to  esteem  it  for  a 
part  of  His  service,  if  -we  eat 
or  drink ;  so  it  be  done 
temperately,  and  as  may 
best  preserve  our  health, 
that  our  health  may  enable 
our  services  toAvards  Him: 
and  there  is  no  one  minute 
of  our  lives  (after  we  are 
come  to  the  use  of  reason) 
but  we  are  or  may  be  doing 
the  work  of  God,  even  then 
when  we  most  of  all  serve 
ourselves. 

3.  To  which  if  we  add, 
that  in  these  and  all  other 
actions    of    our    lives    we 


always  stand  before  God, 
acting  and  speaking  and 
thinking  in  His  presence, 
and  that  it  matters  not  that 
our  conscience  is  sealed  with 
secrecy,  since  it  lies  open  to 
God  ;  it  will  concern  us  to 
behave  ourselves  carefully, 
as  in  the  presence  of  our 
Judge. 

These  three  considera- 
tions rightly  managed,  and 
applied  to  the  several  parts 
and  instances  of  our  lives, 
will  be,  like  Elisha  stretched 
upon  the  child,  apt  to  put 
life  and  quickness  into  every 
part  of  it,  and  to  make  us 
live  the  life  of  grace,  and 
do  the  work  of  God. 

I  shall  therefore,  by  way 
of  introduction,  reduce  these 
three  to  practice,  and  shew 
how  every  Christian  may 
improve  all  and  each  of 
these  to  the  advantage  of 
piety,  in  the  whole  course 
of  his  life :  that  if  he  please 
to  bear  but  one  of  them 
upon  his  spirit,  he  may  feel 
the  benefit,  like  an  uni- 
versal instrument,  helpful 
in  all  spiritual  and  tempo- 
ral actions. 


Sect.  I. 

The  first  general  instrument  of  Holy  Living,  Care 


onr  Time. 


He  that  is  choice  of  his 
time,  will  also  be  choice  of 
his  company,  and  choice  of 
his  actions :    lest  the  first 


b2 


engage  him  in  vanity  and 
loss  ;  and  the  latter,  by  be- 
ing criminal,  be  a  throwing 
his  time  and  himself  away, 


CARE  OF  OUR  TIME. 


and  a  going  back  in  the  ac- 
counts of  Eternity. 

God  hath  given  to  man  a 
short  time  here  upon  earth, 
and  yet  upon  this  short  time 
Eternity  depends  :  but  so, 
that  for  every  hour  of  our 
life  (after  we  are  persons 
capable  of  laws  and  know 
good  from  evil)  we  must 
give  account  to  the  great 
Judge  of  men  and  Angels. 
And  this  is  it  which  our 
blessed  Saviour  told  us,  that 
we  must  account  for  every 
idle  word  * ;  not  meaning, 
that  every  word  which  is 
not  designed  to  edification, 
or  is  less  prudent,  shall  be 
reckoned  for  a  sin  ;  but  that 
the  time  which  we  spend  in 
our  idle  talking  and  unprofit- 
able discoursings,  that  time 
which  might  and  ought  to 
have  been  employed  to  spi- 
ritual and  useful  purposes, 
that  is  to  be  accounted  for. 
For  we  must  remember, 
that  we  have  a  great  work 
to  do ;  many  enemies  to 
conquer,  many  evils  to  pre- 
vent, much  danger  to  run 
through,  many  difficulties  to 
be  mastered,  many  neces- 
sities to  serve,  and  much 
good  to  do,  many  children  to 
provide  for,  or  many  friends 
to  support,  or  many  poor  to 
relieve,  or  many  diseases  to 
cure ;  besides  the  needs  of 

»  Matt. 


nature  and  of  relation,  our 
private  and  our  public  cares, 
and  duties  of  the  world, 
which  necessity  and  the  pro- 
vidence of  God  hath  adop- 
ted into  the  family  of  Re- 
ligion. 

And,  that  we  need  not 
fear  this  instrument  to  be  a 
snare  to  us,  or  that  the  duty 
must  end  in  scruple,  vexa- 
tion, and  eternal  fears  ;  we 
must  remember,  that  the 
life  of  every  man  may  be  so 
ordered  (and  indeed  must) 
that  it  may  be  a  perpetual 
serving  of  God :  the  great- 
est trouble  and  most  busy 
trade  and  worldly  incum- 
brances, when  they  are  ne- 
cessary, or  charitable,  or  pro- 
fitable in  order  to  any  of 
those  ends  which  we  are 
bound  to  serve,  whether 
public  or  private,  being  a 
doing  God's  work.  For  God 
provides  the  good  things  of 
the  world  to  serve  the  needs 
of  nature,  by  the  labours 
of  the  ploughman,  the 
skill  and  pains  of  the  ar- 
tisan, and  the  dangers  and 
trafiick  of  the  merchant : 
these  men  are  in  their  call- 
ings the  ministers  of  the  Di- 
vine providence,  and  the 
stewards  of  the  creation,  and 
servants  of  a  great  family 
of  God,  the  world.,  in  the 
employment    of  procuring 


CARE  OP  OUR  TIME. 


necessaries  for  food  and  clo- 
thing, ornament  and  physic. 
In  their  proportions  also,  a 
king  and  a  priest  and  a  pro- 
phet, a  judge  and  an  advo- 
cate,  doing    the   works    of 
their  employment  according 
to   their   proper  rules,  are 
doing  the  work  of  God,  be- 
cause they  serve  those  ne- 
cessities  which   Grod    hath 
made,  and  yet  made  no  pro- 
visions for  them  but  by  their 
ministry.     So  that  no  man 
can  complain  that  his  call- 
ing takes  him  off  from  re- 
ligion: his  calling  itself  and 
his    very  worldly   employ- 
ment in  honest  trades  and 
offices  is  a  serving  of  God ; 
and,  if  it  be  moderately  pur- 
sued, and  according  to  the 
rules  of  Christian  prudence, 
will  leave  void  spaces  enough 
for  prayers  and  retirements 
of  a  more  spiritual  religion. 
God  hath  given  every  man 
work  enough  to  do,  that  there 
shall  be  no  room  for  idle- 
ness ;    and  yet  hath  so  or- 
dered the  world,  that  there 
shall  be  space  for  devotion. 
He   that   hath   the   fewest 
businesses  of  the  world,  is 
called  upon  to  spend  more 
time  in  the  dressing  of  his 
Soul ;  and  he  that  hath  the 
most  affairs,  may  so  order 
them,  that  they  shall  be  a 
service  of  God  ;  whilst   at 

b  Ezek.  xvi.  49. 


certain  periods  they  are 
blessed  with  prayers  and 
actions  of  religion,  and  all 
day  long  are  hallowed  by  a 
holy  intention. 

However,  so  long  as  idle- 
ness is  quite  shut  out  from 
our  lives ;  all  the  sins  of 
wantonness,  softness,  and  ef- 
feminacy are  prevented,  and 
there  is  but  little  room  left 
j  for  temptation :  and  there- 
I  fore  to  a  busy  man  tempta- 
tion is  fain  to  climb  up  to- 
gether with  his  businesses, 
and  sins  creep  upon  him 
only  by  accidents  and  oc- 
casions ;  whereas  to  an  idle 
person  they  come  in  a  full 
body,  and  with  open  vio- 
lence, and  the  impudence 
of  a  restless  importunity. 

Idleness  is  called "  the  sin 
of  Sodom  and  her  daughters, 
and  indeed  is<=  the  burial  of 
a  living  man  :  an  idle  per- 
son being  so  useless  to  any 
piu'poses  of  God  and  man, 
that  he  is  like  one  that  is 
dead,  unconcerned  in  the 
changes  and  necessities  of 
the  world ;  and  he  only  lives 
to  spend  his  time,  and  eat 
the  fruits  of  the  earth  :  like 
a  vermin  or  a  wolf,  when 
their  time  comes  they  die 
and  perish,  and  in  the  mean 
time  do  no  good  ;  they  nei- 
ther plough  nor  carry  bur- 
thens ;    all   that    they   do, 


6 


CARE  OF  OUR  TIME. . 


either    is    unprofitable,    or 
mischievous. 

Idleness  is  the  greatest 
prodigality  in  the  world :  it 
throws  away  that  which  is 
un valuable  in  respect  of  its 
present  use,  and  irreparable 
when  it  is  past,  being  to  be 
recovered  by  no  power  of 
art  or  nature.  But  the  way 
to  secure  and  improve  our 
time  we  may  practise  in 
the  following  Rules. 

Rides  for  employing  out 
Time. 

1.  In  the  morning,  when 
you  awake,  accustom  your- 
self to  think  first  upon  God, 
or  something  in  order  to  His 
service ;  and  at  night  also, 
let  Him  close  thine  eyes  : 
and  let  your  sleep  be  neces- 
sary and  healthful,  not  idle 
and  expensive  of  time  be- 
yond the  needs  and  con- 
veniencies  of  nature ;  and 
sometimes  be  curious  to  see 
the  preparation  which  the 
Sun  makes,  when  he  is  com- 
ing forth  from  his  chambers 
of  the  East. 

2.  Let  every  man  that 
hath  a  calling,  be  diligent 
in  pursuance  of  its  employ- 
ment ;  so  as  not  lightly  or 
without  reasonable  occasion 
to  neglect  it  in  any  of  those 
times  which  are  usually,  and 
by  the  custom  of  prudent 

d  See  Chap, 


persons  and  good  husbands, 
employed  in  it. 

3.  Let  all  the  intervals  or 
void  spaces  of  time  be  era- 
ployed  in  prayers,  reading, 
meditating,  works  of  nature, 
recreation,  charity,  friendli- 
ness and  neighbourhood  and 
means  of  spiritual  and  cor- 
poral health  :  ever  remem- 
bering so  to  work  in  our 
calling,  as  not  to  neglect 
the  work  of  our  high  Cal- 
ling ;  but  to  begin  and  end 
the  day  with  God,  with  such 
forms  of  devotion  as  shall 
be  proper  to  our  necessi- 
ties. 

4.  The  resting-days  of 
Christians,  and  Festivals  of 
the  Church,  must  in  no  sense 
be  days  of  idleness  ;  for  it 
is  better  to  plough  upon 
holy-days,  than  to  do  no- 
thing, or  to  do  viciously  : 
but  let  them  be  spent  in 
the  works  of  the  day,  that 
is,  of  Religion  and  Charity, 
according  to  the  rules  ap- 
pointed ^ 

5.  Avoid  the  company  of 
Drunkards  and  husy-bodieSj 
and  all  such  as  are  apt  to 
talk  much  to  little  purpose ; 
for  no  man  can  be  provi- 
dent of  his  time,  that  is  not 
prudent  in  the  choice  of  his 
company  :  and  if  one  of  the 
speakers  be  vain,  tedious, 
and  trifling,  he  that  hears 

iv.  Sect.  6. 


CARE  OP  OUR  TIME. 


and  he  that  answers  in  the 
discourse  are  equal  losers 
of  their  time. 

6.  Never  talk  with  any 
man,  or  undertake  any  tri- 
fling employment,  merely  to 
pass  the  time  axoay :  for 
every  day  well  spent  may 
become  a  day  of  Salva- 
tion, and  time  rightly  em- 
ployed is  an  acceptable  time  ^ 
And  remember,  that  the 
time  thou  triflest  away  was 
given  thee  to  repent  in,  to 
pray  for  pardon  of  sins,  to 
work  out  thy  salvation,  to 
do  the  work  of  grace,  to  lay 
up  against 'the  day  of  Judg- 
ment a  treasure  of  good 
works,  that  thy  time  may 
be  crowned  with  Eternity. 

7.  In  the  midst  of  the 
works  of  thy  calling  often 
retire  to  God  in  short  Prayers 
and  ejaculations  ;  and  those 
may  make  up  the  want  of 
those  larger  portions  of  time, 
which  it  may  be  thou  de- 
sirest  for  devotion,  and  in 
which  thou  thinkest  other 
persons  have  advantage  of 
thee  :  for  so  thou  reconcilest 
1-he  outward  work  and  thy 
inward  calling,  the  Church 
and  the  commonwealth,  the 
employment  of  the  body  and 
the  interest  of  thy  Soul :  for 
be  sure  that  God  is  present 
at  thy  breathings  and  hearty 
sighings  of  prayer,  as  soon 

•  S.  Bern,  de 


as  at  the  longer  offices  of 
less  busied  persons ;  and  thy 
time  is  as  truly  sanctified  by 
a  trade,  and  devout,  though 
shorter,  prayers,  as  by  the 
longer  offices  of  those  whose 
time  is  not  filled  up  with 
labour  and  useful  business. 

8.  Let  your  employment 
be  such  as  may  become  a 
reasonable  person  :  and  not 
be  a  business  fit  for  chil- 
dren or  distracted  people, 
but  fit  for  your  age  and  un- 
derstanding. For  a  man  may 
be  very  idly  busy,  and  take 
great  pains  to  so  little  pur- 
pose, that  in  his  labours  and 
expence  of  time  he  shall 
serve  no  end  but  of  folly 
and  vanity.  There  are 
some  trades  that  wholly 
serve  the  ends  of  idle  per- 
sons and  fools,  and  such  as 
are  fit  to  be  seized  upon  by 
the  severity  of  laws,  and 
banished  from  under  the  sun : 
and  there  are  some  people 
who  are  busy  ;  but  it  is,  as 
Domitian  was,  in  catching 
flies. 

9.  Let  your  employment 
be  fitted  to  your  person  and 
calling.  Some  there  are 
that  employ  their  time  in 
afiairs  infinitely  below  the 
dignity  of  their  person  ;  and 
being  called  by  God  or  by 
the  republic  to  help  to  bear 
great  burthens,  and  to  judge 

triplici  castodia. 


8 


CARE  OF  OUR  TIME. 


a  people,  do  enfeeble  their 
understandings,  and  disable 
their  persons  by  sordid  and 
brutish  business.  Thus  JVero 
went  up  and  down  Greece, 
and  challenged  the  fiddlers 
at  their  trade,  ^rojms  a 
MacedonianKmg  made  lan- 
terns. Harcatius  the  King 
of  Parthia  was  a  mole- 
catcher  :  and  Biantes  the 
Lydian  filed  needles.  He 
that  is  appointed  to  minister 
in  holy  things,  must  not 
suffer  secular  affairs  and 
sordid  arts  to  eat  up  great 
portions  of  his  employ- 
ment :  a  clergyman  must 
not  keep  a  tavern,  nor  a 
judge  be  an  inn-keeper ; 
and  it  was  a  great  idle- 
ness in  Theophylact  the 
Patriarch  of  C.  P.  to  spend 
his  time  in  his  stable  of 
horses  when  he  should  have 
been  in  his  study,  or  the 
pulpit,  or  saying  his  holy 
Offices.  Such  employments 
are  the  diseases  of  labour, 
and  the  rust  of  time,  which 
it  contracts,  not  by  lying 
still,  but  by  dirty  employ- 
ment. 

10.  Let  our  employment 
be  such  as  becomes  a  Chris- 
tian ;  that  is,  in  no  sense 
mingled  v/ith  sin :  for  he 
that  takes  pains  to  serve 
the  ends  of  covetousness, 
or  ministers  to  another's  lust, 
or  keeps  a  shop  of  impuri- 


ties or  intemperance,  is  idle 
in  the  worst  sense ;  for 
every  hour  so  spent  runs 
him  backward,  and  must  be 
spent  again  in  the  remain- 
ing and  shorter  part  of  his 
life,  and  spent  better. 

11,  Persons  oi  great  qua- 
lity, and  of  no  trade,  are 
to  be  most  prudent  and 
curious  in  their  employ- 
ment and  traffick  of  time. 
They  are  miserable,  if  their 
education  hath  been  so  loose 
and  undisciplined  as  to 
leave  them  unfurnished  of 
skill  to  spend  their  time  : 
but  most  miserable  are  they, 
if  such  misgovernment  and 
unskilfulness  make  them 
fall  into  vicious  and  baser 
company,  and  drive  on  their 
time  by  the  sad  minutes  and 
periods  of  sin  and  death. 
They  that  are  learned  know 
the  worth  of  time,  and  the 
manner  how  well  to  improve 
a  day  ;  and  they  are  to  pre- 
pare themselves  for  such 
purposes  in  which  they  may 
be  most  useful  in  order  to 
arts  or  arms,  to  counsel  in 
public  or  government  in 
their  country :  But  for 
others  of  them  that  are 
unlearned,  let  them  choose 
good  company,  such  as  may 
not  tempt  them  to  a  vice, 
or  join  with  them  in  any ; 
but  that  may  supply  their 
defects  by  counsel  and  dis- 


CARE  OP  OUR  TIME. 


9 


course,  by  way  of  con- 
duct and  conversation.  Let 
them  learn  easy  and  useful 
things,  read  history  and  the 
laws  of  the  land,  learn  the 
customs  of  their  country, 
the  condition  of  their  own 
estate,  profitable  and  chari- 
table contrivances  of  it :  let 
them  study  prudently  to 
govern  their  families,  learn 
the  burthens  of  their  ten- 
ants, the  necessities  of  their 
neighbours,  and  in  their  pro- 
portion supply  them,  and 
reconcile  their  enmities,  and 
prevent  their  law-suits,  or 
quickly  end  them  ;  and  in 
this  glut  of  leisure  and  dis- 
employment,  let  them  set 
apart  greater  portions  of 
their  time  for  Religion  and 
the  necessities  of  their  Souls. 
12.  Let  the  women  of 
nolle  hirth  and  great  for- 
tunes do  the  same  things 
in  their  proportions  and 
capacities  ;  nurse  their  chil- 
dren, look  to  the  affairs  of 
th  e  house,  visit  poor  cottages, 
and  relieve  their  neces- 
sities, be  courteous  to  the 
neighbourhood,  learn  in  si- 
lence of  their  husbands  or 
their  spiritual  guides,  read 
good  books,  pray  often  and 
speak  little,  and  learn  to  do 
good  works  for  necessary 
uses;  for  by  that  phrase 
S.  Paul  expresses  the  ob- 
ligation of  Christian  women 


to  good  housewifery,  and 
charitable  provisions  for 
their  family  and  neigh- 
bourhood. 

13.  Let  all  persons  of  all 
conditions  avoid  all  delicacy 
and  niceness  in  their  cloth- 
ing or  diet,  because  such 
softness  engages  them  upon 
great  misspendings  of  their 
time,  while  they  dress  and 
comb  out  all  their  oppor- 
tunities of  their  morning 
devotion,  and  half  the  day's 
severity,  and  sleep  out  the 
care  and  provision  for  their 
Souls. 

14.  Let  every  one  of 
every  condition  avoid  cu- 
riosity, and  all  enquiry  into 
things  that  concern  them 
not.  For  all  business  in 
things  that  concern  us  not 
is  an  employing  our  time 
to  no  good  of  ours,  and 
therefore  not  in  order  to  a 
happy  Eternity.  In  this 
account  our  neighbours'  ne- 
cessities are  not  to  be  reck- 
oned ;  for  they  concern  us 
as  one  member  is  concerned 
in  the  grief  of  another :  but 
going  from  house  to  house, 
tatlers  and  busy-bodies, 
which  are  the  canker  and 
rust  of  idleness,  as  idleness 
is  the  rust  of  time,  are  re- 
proved by  the  Apostle  in 
severe  language,  and  for- 
bidden in  order  to  this  exer- 
cise. 

3 


10 


CARE  OF  OUR  TIME. 


15.  As  mucli  as  may  be, 
cut  off  all  impertinent  arid 
useless  employments  of  your 
life ;  unnecessary  and  fan- 
tastic visits,  long  waitings 
upon  great  personages, 
where  neither  duty  nor 
necessity  nor  charity  ob- 
liges us  ;  all  vain  meetings, 
all  laborious  trifles,  and 
whatsoever  spends  much 
time  to  no  real,  civil,  re- 
ligious, or  charitable  pur- 
pose. 

16.  Let  not  your  recrea- 
tions be  lavish  spenders  of 
your  time ;  but  choose  such 
which  are  healthful,  short, 
transient,  recreative,  and 
apt  to  refresh  you ;  but  at 
no  hand  dwell  upon  them, 
or  make  them  your  great 
emjyloyment :  for  he  that 
spends  his  time  in  sports, 
and  calls  it  recreation,  is 
like  him  whose  garment  is 
all  made  of  fringes,  and  his 
meat  nothing  but  sauces  ; 
they  are  healthless,  charge- 
able, and  useless.  And 
therefore  avoid  such  games 
which  require  much  time 
or  long  attendance  ;  or 
which  are  apt  to  steal  thy 
affections  from  more  severe 
employments.  For  to  what- 
oever  thou  hast  given  thy 
sffections,  thou  wilt  not 
grudge  to  give  thy  time. 
Natural  necessity  and   the 

*  Cassian,  Collat.  xxiv.  c.  21 


example  of  S.  John  (who 
recreated  himself  with  sport- 
ing with  a  tame  partridge  ^ 
teach  us  that  it  is  lawful 
to  relax  and  unbind  our 
bow,  but  not  to  suffer  it  to 
be  unready  or  unstrung. 

17.  Set  apart  some  por- 
tions of  every  day  for  more 
solemn  devotion  and  reli- 
gious employment,  which  be 
severe  in  ohserving  :  and  if 
variety  of  employment,  or 
prudent  affairs,  or  civil 
society  press  upon  you,  yet 
so  order  thy  rule,  that  the 
necessary  parts  of  it  be  not 
omitted  ;  and  though  just 
occasions  may  make  our 
prayers  shorter,  yet  let  no- 
thing but  a  violent,  sudden, 
and  impatient  necessity 
make  thee  upon  any  one 
day  wholly  to  omit  thy 
morning  and  evening  de- 
votions ;  which  if  you  be 
forced  to  make  very  short, 
you  may  supply  and  leng- 
then with  ejaculations  and 
short  retirements  in  the  day- 
time, in  the  midst  of  your 
employment,  or  of  your 
company. 

18.  Do  not  the  work  of 
God  negligently^  and  idly  : 
let  not  thy  heart  be  upon 
the  world,  when  thy  hand 
is  lift  up  in  prayer  :  and  be 
sure  to  prefer  an  action  of 
religion   in   its    place   and 

e  Jer.  xlviii.  10. 


CARE  or  OUR  TIME. 


11 


proper  season  before  all 
worldly  pleasure,  letting 
secular  things  (that  may 
be  dispensed  with  in  them- 
selves) in  these  circum- 
stances wait  upon  the 
other ;  not  like  the  pa- 
triarch who  ran  from  the 
Altar  in  S.  Sophia  to  his 
stable  in  all  his  Pontificals, 
and  in  the  midst  of  his 
office,  to  see  a  colt  newly 
fallen  from  his  beloved  and 
much  valued  mare  F/ior- 
hante^.  More  prudent  and 
severe  was  that  of  Sir 
Thomas  More,  who,  being 
sent  for  by  the  king  when 
he  was  at  his  prayers  in 
public,  returned  answer,  he 
would  attend  him  when  he 
had  first  performed  his  ser- 
vice to  the  King  of  kings. 
And  it  did  honour  to  Rus- 
ticus  that,  when  letters  from 
Ccesar  were  given  to  him, 
he  refused  to  open  them 
till  the  philosopher  had 
done  his  lecture.  In  hon- 
ouring God  and  doing  his 
work,  put  forth  all  thy 
strength  ;  for  of  that  time 
only  thou  mayest  be  most 
confident  that  it  is  gained, 
which  is  prudently  and 
zealously  spent  in  God's 
service. 

19.  When  the  Cloch  strikes, 
or  however  else  you  shall 
measure  the  day,  it  is  good 

*>  Plutarch, 


to  say  a  short  ejaculation 
every  hour,  that  the  parts 
and  returns  of  devotion 
may  be  the  measure  of 
your  time:  and  do  so  also 
in  all  the  breaches  of  thy 
sleep ;  that  those  spaces, 
which  have  in  them  no 
direct  business  of  the 
world,  may  be  filled  with 
religion. 

20.  If  by  thus  doing  you 
have  not  secured  your  time 
by  an  early  and  fore- 
handed care,  yet  be  sure 
by  a  timely  diligence  to 
redeem  the  time ;  that  is, 
to  be  pious  and  religious 
in  such  instances  in  which 
formerly  you  have  sinned, 
and  to  bestow  your  time 
especially  upon  such  graces, 
the  contrary  whereof  you 
have  formerly  practised, 
doing  actions  of  chastity 
and  temperance  with  as 
great  a  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness as  you  did  once  act 
your  uncleanness ;  and  then 
by  all  arts  to  watch  against 
your  present  and  future 
dangers,  from  day  to  day 
securing  your  standing : 
this  is  properly  to  redeem 
your  time ;  that  is,  to  buy 
your  security  of  it  at  the 
rate  of  any  labour  and 
honest  arts. 

21.  Let  him  that  is  most 
busied  set  apart  some  solemn 

de  Curiosit. 


12 


CARE  OF  OUR  TIME. 


time'^  every  year,  in  which, 
for  the  time  quitting  all 
worldly  business,  he  may 
attend  wholly  to  fasting 
and  prayer,  and  the  dres- 
sing of  his  Soul  by  con- 
fessions, meditations,  and 
attendances  upon  God ;  that 
he  may  make  up  his  ac- 
counts, renew  his  vows, 
make  amends  for  his  care- 
lessness, and  retire  back 
again  from  whence  levity 
and  the  vanities  of  the 
world,  or  the  opportunity 
of  temptations,  or  the  dis- 
traction of  secular  affairs, 
have  carried  him. 

22.  In  this  we  shall  be 
much  assisted,  and  we  shall 
find  the  work  more  easy, 
if,  before  we  sleep  every 
night,  we  examhie  the  ac- 
tions of  the  iw.st  day  with  a 
particular  scrutiny,  if  there 
have  been  any  accident  ex- 
traordinary, as  long  dis- 
course, a  Feast,  much  busi- 
ness, variety  of  company. 
If  nothing  but  common 
hath  happened,  the  less 
examination  will  suffice : 
only  let  us  take  care,  that 
we  sleep  not  without  such 
a  recollection  of  the  actions 
of  the  day,  as  may  repre- 
sent any  thing  that  is  re- 
markable and  great  either 
to  be  the  matter  of  sorrow 
or  thanksgiving  ;  for  other 

i  1  Cor 


things    a    general   care  is 
proportionable. 

23.  Let  all  these  things 
be  done  prudently  and  rao- 
derately ;  not  with  scruple 
and  vexation.  For  these 
are  good  advantages,  but 
the  particulars  are  not  Di- 
vine commandments  ;  and 
therefore  are  to  be  used  as 
shall  be  found  expedient 
to  every  one's  condition. 
For,  provided  that  our  duty 
be  secured,  for  the  degrees 
and  for  the  instruments 
every  man  is  permitted  to 
himself  and  the  conduct  of 
such  who  shall  be  appointed 
to  him.  He  is  happy  that  can 
secure  every  hour  to  a  sober 
or  a  pious  employment :  but 
the  duty  consists  not  scru- 
pulously in  minutes  and 
half  hours,  but  in  greater 
portions  of  time  ;  provided 
that  no  minute  be  employed 
in  sin,  and  the  great  por- 
tions of  our  time  be  spent 
in  sober  employment,  and 
all  the  appointed  days  and 
some  portions  of  every  day 
be  allowed  for  Religion.  In 
all  the  lesser  parts  of  time 
we  are  left  to  our  own 
elections  and  prudent  ma- 
nagement, and  to  the  consi- 
deration of  the  great  degrees 
and  differences  of  glory  that 
are  laid  up  in  Heaven  for 
us,  according  to  the  degrees 

vii.  5. 


CARE  OF  OUR  TIME. 


13 


of  our  care,  and  piety,  and 
diligence. 

The  henejits  of  this  exercise. 
This  exercise,  besides  that 
it  hath  influence  upon  our 
whole  lives,  it  hath  a  special 
efficacy  for  the  preventing 
of,  1.  Beggarly  sins  ;  that 
is,  those  sins  which  idleness 
and  beggary  usually  betray 
men  to  :  such  as  are  lying, 
flattery,  stealing,  and  dissi- 
mulation. 2.  It  is  a  proper 
antidote  against  carnal  sins, 
and  such  as  proceed  from 
fulness  of  bread  and  empti- 
ness of  employment.     3.  It 


is  a  great  instrument  of 
preventing  the  smallest  sins 
and  irregularities  of  our  life, 
which  usually  creep  upon 
idle,  disemployed,  and  cu- 
rious persons.  4.  It  not  only 
:  teaches  us  to  avoid  evil,  but 
I  engages  us  upon  doing  good^ 
as  the  proper  business  of  all 
our  days.  5.  It  prepares  us 
so  against  sudden  changes, 
that  we  shall  not  easily  be 
,  surprised  at  the  sudden 
coming  of  the  Day  of  the 
Lord  :  For  he  that  is  curious 
of  his  time,  will  not  easily 
be  unready  and  unfur- 
nished. 


Sect.  II. 

The  second  general  instrument  of  holy  Living, 
Purity  of  Intention. 


That  we  should  intend 
and  design  God's  glory  in 
every  action  we  do,  whe- 
ther it  be  natural  or  chosen, 
is  expressed  by  >S'.  Favl'\ 
Whether  ye  eat  or  d.rinh  do  1 
all  to  the  glory  of  God. 
Which  rule  when  we  ob- 
serve, every  action  of  nature 
becomes  religious,  and  every 
meal  is  an  act  of  worship, 
and  shall  have  its  reward 
in  its  proportion,  as  well  as 
an  act  of  prayer.  Blessed 
be  that  goodness  and  grace 
of  God,  which,  out  of  infi- 
nite desire   to  glorify  and 


save  mankind,  would  make 
the  very  works  of  nature 
capable  of  becoming  acts 
of  virtue,  that  all  our  life- 
time we  may  do  Him  ser- 
vice. » 

This  grace  is  so  excellent, 
that  it  sanctifies  the  most 
common  action  of  our  life  : 
and  yet  so  necessary,  that 
without  it  the  very  best 
actions  of  our  devotion  are 
imperfect  and  vicious.  For 
he  that  prays  out  of  custom, 
or  gives  alms  for  praise,  or 
fasts  to  be  accounted  reli- 
gious, is  but  a  Pharisee  in 


i   I  Cor.  X.  31. 


14 


PURITY  OF  INTENTION. 


his  devotion,  and  a  beggar 
in  his  alms,  and  an  hypo- 
crite in  his  fast.  But  a 
holy  end  sanctifies  all  these, 
and  all  other  actions  which 
can  be  made  holy,  and  gives 
distinction  to  them,  and 
procures  acceptance. 

For,  as  to  know  the  end 
distinguishes  a  man  from  a 
beast ;  so  to  choose  a  good 
end  distinguishes  him  from 
an  evil  man.  Hezekiah  re- 
peated his  good  deeds  upon 
his  sick-bed,  and  obtained 
favour  of  God ;  but  the 
Pharisee  was  accounted  in- 
solent for  doing  the  same 
thing :  because  this  man 
did  it  to  upbraid  his  brother, 
the  other  to  obtain  a  mercy 
of  God.  Zacharias  ques- 
tioned with  the  Angel  about 
his  message,  and  was  made 
speechless  for  his  incredu- 
lity ;  but  the  blessed  Virgin 
Mary  questioned  too,  aud 
was  blameless  :  for  she  did 
it  to  enquire  after  the  man- 
tier  of  the  thing,  but  he  did 
not  believe  the  thhig  itself : 
he  doubted  of  God's  power, 
or  the  truth  of  the  messen- 
ger ;  but  she  only  of  her 
own  incapacity.  This  was 
it  which  distinguished  the 
mourning  of  David  from 
the  exclamation  of  Saul; 
the  confession  of  Pharaoh 
from  that  of  Manasses  ;  the 


tears  of  Peter  from  the  re- 
!  pentance   of   Judas :    "  for 
i  the  praise  is  not  in  the  deed 
j  done,  but  in  the  manner  of 
j  its  doing.     If  a  man  visits 
■  his  sick  friend,  and  watches 
I  at   his   pillow  for    charity 
sake,  and  because  of  his  old 
afiection,  we  approve  it :  but 
I  if  he  does  it  in  hope  of  le- 
gacy, he  is  a  vulture,  and 
only  watches  for   the  car- 
cass.    The  same  things  are 
honest  and  dishonest :  the 
manner  of  doing  them  and 
the  end  of  the  design  makes 
the  separation^." 

Holy  intention  is  to  the 
actions  of  a  man  that  which 
the  Soul  is  to  the  body,  or 
form  to  its  matter,  or  the 
root  to  the  tree,  or  the  sun 
to  the  world,  or  the  foun- 
tain to  a  river,  or  the  base 
to  a  pillar :  for  without 
these  the  body  is  a  dead 
trunk,  the  matter  is  slug- 
gish, the  tree  is  a  block,  the 
world  is  darkness,  the  river 
is  quickly  dry,  the  pillar 
rushes  into  flatness  and  a 
ruin ;  and  the  action  is  sin- 
ful, or  unprofitable  and 
vain.  The  poor  farmer  that 
gave  a  dish  of  cold  water  to 
Artaxerxes  was  rewarded 
with  a  golden  goblet ;  and 
he  that  gives  the  same  to  a 
disciple  in  the  naine  of  a 
disciple  shall  have  a  crown  : 


PURITY  OF  INTENTION. 


15 


but  if  he  gives  water  in 
despite,  when  the  disciple 
needs  wine  or  a  cordial,  his 
reward  shall  be  to  want  that 
water  to  cool  his  tongue. 

But  this  Duty  must  be 
reduced  to  Rules. 

Rules  for  our  Intentions. 

1.  In  every  action  reflect 
upon  the  end  ;  and,  in  your 
undertaking  it,  consider 
V)hy  you  do  it,  and  what 
you  propound  to  yourself 
for  a  reward,  and  to  your 
action  as  its  end. 

2.  Begin  every  action  in 
the  Name  of  the  Father,  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost:  the  meaning  of 
which  is,  1.  That  we  be 
careful  that  we  do  not  the 
action  without  the  permis- 
sion or  warrant  of  God. 
2.  That  we  design  it  to  the 
glory  of  God,  if  not  in  the 
direct  action,  yet  at  least  in 
its  consequence  ;  if  not  in 
the  particular,  yet  at  least 
in  the  whole  order  of  things 
and  accidents.  3.  That  it 
may  be  so  blessed,  that 
what  you  intend  for  inno- 
cent and  holy  purposes,  may 
not  by  any  chance  or  abuse 
or  misunderstanding  of  men 
be  turned  into  evil,  or  made 
the  occasion  of  sin. 

3.  Let  every  action  of 
concernment  be  hegu7i  with 
prayer,  that  God  would  not 


only  bless  the  action,  but 
sanctify  your  purpose  ;  and 
make  an  oblation  of  the  ac- 
tion to  God  :  holy  and  well- 
intended  actions  being  the 
best  oblations  and  presents 
we  can  make  to  God  ;  and, 
when  God  is  entitled  to 
them,  He  will  the  rather 
keep  the  fire  upon  the  altar 
bright  and  shining. 

4.  In  the  prosecution  of 
the  action,  renew  and  re- 
enkindle  your  purpose  by 
short  ejaculations  to  these 
purposes :  Not  unto  us,  0 
Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto 
thy  Name  let  all  'praise  he 
given  :  and  consider.  Now 
I  am  working  the  work  of 
God ;  I  am  His  servant,  I 
am  171  a  happy  employment, 
I  am  doing  my  Master'^s 
business,  I  am  not  at  my 
own  dispose,  I  am  using  His 
talents,  and  all  the  gain  must 
he  His  :  for  then  be  sure,  as 
the  glory  is  His,  so  the  re- 
ward shall  be  thine.  If 
thou  bringest  His  goods 
home  with  increase,  He  will 
make  thee  ruler  over  cities. 

5.  Have  a  care,  that, 
while  the  altar  thus  sends 
up  a  holy  fume,  thou  dost 
not  suffer  the  birds  to  come 
and  carry  away  the  sacri- 
fice :  that  is,  let  not  that 
which  began  well,  and  was 
intended  for  God's  glory, 
decline  and  end  in  thy  own 


16 


PURITY  OF  INTENTION. 


praise,  or  temporal  satisfac- 
tion, or  a  sin.  A  story  told 
to  represent  the  vileness  of 
unchastity  is  well  begun : 
but  if  thy  female  auditor  be 
pleased  with  thy  language, 
and  begins  rather  to  like 
thy  person  for  thy  story, 
than  to  dislike  the  crime, 
be  watchful,  lest  this  goodly 
head  of  gold  descend  in  sil- 
ver and  brass,  and  end  in 
iron  and  clay,  like  Nebu- 
chad7i€zzars  imsige  ;  for  from 
the  end  it  shall  have  its 
name  and  reward. 

6.  If  any  accidental  event, 
which  was  not  first  intended 
by  thee,  can  come  to  pass, 
let  it  not  be  taken  into  thy 
purposes,  not  at  all  be  made 
use  of:  as,  if  by  telling  a 
true  story  you  can  do  an  ill 
turn  to  your  enemy,  by  no 
means  do  it ;  but  when  the 
temptation  is  found  out, 
turn  all  thy  enmity  upon 
that. 

7.  In  every  more  solemn 
action  of  Religion,  join  to- 
gether many  good  ends, 
that  the  consideration  of 
them  may  entertain  all  your 
affections,  and  that  when 
any  one  ceases,  the  purity 
of  your  intention  may  be 
supported  by  another  sup- 
ply. He  that  fasts  only  to 
tame  a  rebellious  body, 
when  he  is  provided  of  a 
remedy  either  in  Grace  or 


Nature,  may  be  tempted  to 
leave  off  his  fasting.  But 
he  that  in  his  fast  intends 
the  mortification  of  every 
unruly  appetite,  and  accus- 
toming himself  to  bear  the 
yoke  of  the  Lord,  a  con- 
tempt of  the  pleasures  of 
meat  and  di'ink,  humiliation 
of  all  wilder  thoughts,  obe- 
dience and  humility,  auste- 
rity and  charity,  and  the 
convenience  and  assistance 
to  devotion,  and  to  do  an 
act  of  repentance ;  what- 
ever happens,  will  have  rea- 
son enough  to  make  him  to 
continue  his  purpose,  and 
to  sanctify  it.  And  cer- 
tain it  is,  the  more  good 
ends  are  designed  in  an 
action,  the  more  degrees  of 
excellency  the  man  ob- 
tains. 

8.  If  any  temptation  to 
spoil  your  purpose  happens 
in  a  religious  duty,  do  not 
presently  omit  the  action, 
but  rather  strive  to  rectify 
your  intention  and  to  mor- 
tify the  temptation.  St. 
Bernard  taught  us  this 
rule :  For  when  the  Devil, 
observing  him  to  preach 
excellently  and  to  do  much 
benefit  to  his  hearers, 
tempted  him  to  vain  glory, 
hoping  that  the  good  man 
to  avoid  that  would  cease 
preaching,  he  gave  this  an- 
swer only ;  /  neither  began 


PURITY  OF  INTENTION. 


17 


for  thee,  neither  for  thee  will 
I  mcike'an  end. 

9.  In  all  actions  which 
are  oi  long  continuance,  de- 
liberation, and  abode,  let 
your  holy  and  pious  inten- 
tion be  actual ;  that  is,  that 
it  be  by  a  special  prayer  or 
action,  by  a  peculiar  act 
of  resignation  or  oblation, 
given  to  God :  but  in  smaller 
actions,  and  little  things 
and  indifferent,  fail  not  to 
secure  a  pious  habitual  in- 
tention ;  that  is,  that  it  be 
included  within  your  gene- 
ral care,  that  no  action  have 
an  ill  end  ;  and  that  it  be 
comprehended  in  your  gene- 
ral prayers,  whereby  you 
offer  yourself  and  all  you 
do  to  God's  glory. 

10.  Call  not  every  tempo- 
ral end  a  defiling  of  thy  in- 
tention, but  only,  1.  when 
it  contradicts  any  of  the 
ends  of  God  ;  or,  2.  when  it 
is  principally  intended  in 
an  action  of  Religion.  For 
sometimes  a  temporal  end 
is  part  of  our  duty :  and 
such  are  all  the  actions  of 
our  calling,  whether  our 
employment  be  religious  or 
civil.  We  are  commanded 
to  provide  for  our  family : 
but  if  the  Minister  of  Divine 
Offices  shall  take  upon  him 
that  holy  calling  for  cove- 
tous or  ambitious  ends,  or 


shall  not  design  the  glory 
of  God  principally  and  es- 
pecially, he  hath  polluted 
his  hands  and  his  heart ; 
and  the  fire  of  the  altar  is 
quenched,  or  it  sends  forth 
nothing  but  the  smoke  of 
mushrooms  or  unpleasant 
gums.  And  it  is  a  great 
unworthiness  to  prefer  the 
interest  of  a  creature  before 
the  ends  of  God  the  Al- 
mighty Creator. 

But  because  many  cases 
may  happen  in  which  a 
man's  heart  raay  deceive 
him,  and  he  may  not  well 
know  what  is  in  his  own 
spu'it ;  therefore  by  these 
following  signs  we  shall  best 
make  a  judgment,  whether 
our  intentions  he  ijure,  and 
our  jnorposes  holy. 

Signs  of  Purity  of  In- 
tention. 

1.  It  is  probable  our 
hearts  1  are  right  with  God, 
and  our  intentions  innocent 
and  pious,  if  we  set  upon 
actions  of  Religion  or  civil 
life  with  an  affection  pro- 
portionate to  the  quality  of 
the  Avork ;  that  we  act  our 
temporal  affairs  with  a  de- 
sire no  greater  than  our 
necessity ;  and  that  in  ac- 
tions of  Religion  we  be 
zealous,  active,  and  opera- 
tive, so  far  as  prudence  will 


See  sect.  I.  of  this  chapter,  rule  18. 


18 


PURITY  OF  INTENTION. 


permit ;  but  in  all  cases, 
that  we  value  a  religious 
design  before  a  temporal, 
when  otherwise  they  are  in 
equal  order  to  their  several 
ends  :  that  is,  that  whatso- 
ever is  necessary  in  order 
to  our  Soul's  health  be 
higher  esteemed  than  what 
is  for  bodily ;  and  the  ne- 
cessities, the  indispensable 
necessities,  of  the  spirit  be 
served  before  the  needs  of 
nature,  when  they  are  re- 
quu-ed  in  their  several  cir- 
cumstances :  or  plainer  yet, 
when  we  choose  any  tempo- 
ral inconvenience  rather 
than  commit  a  sin,  and 
when  we  choose  to  do  a 
duty  rather  than  to  get 
gain.  But  he  that  does  his 
recreation  or  his  merchan- 
dise cheerfully,  promptly, 
readily,  and  busily,  and  the 
works  of  Religion  slowly, 
flatly,  and  without  appetite ; 
and  the  spirit  moves  like 
Pharaoh'' s  chariots  when  the 
wheels  were  off ;  it  is  a  sign 
that  his  heart  is  not  right 
with  God,  but  it  cleaves  too 
much  to  the  world. 

2.  It  is  likely  our  hearts 
are  pure  and  our  intentions 
spotless,  when  we  are  not 
solicitous  of  the  opinion  and 
censures  of  men ;  but  only 
that  we  do  our  duty,  and 
be  accepted  of  God.     For 

«°  Seneca,  Ep.  113.  n  St. 


our  eyes  will  certainly  be 
fixed  there  from  whence  we 
expect  our  reward :  and  if 
we  desire  that  God  should 
approve  us,  it  is  a  sign  we 
doHiswork,  and  expect  Him 
our  paymaster. 

3.  He  that  does  as  well 
in  private,  between  God  and 
his  own  Soul,  as  in  public, 
in  pulpits,  in  theatres,  and 
market-places  ;  hath  given 
himself  a  good  testimony 
that  his  purposes  are  full  of 
honesty,  nobleness,  and  in- 
tegrity. For  what  HelJca- 
nah  said  to  the  Mother  of 
Samuel,  Am  not  I  better  to 
thee  than  ten  sons  ?  is  most 
certainly  verified  concern- 
ing God  ;  that  He  who  is  to 
be  our  Judge  is  better  than 
ten  thousand  witnesses.  But 
he  that  would  have  his  vir- 
tue published,  studies  not 
virtue,  but  glory.  "  He  is 
not  just™,  that  will  not  be 
just  without  praise:  but  he 
is  a  righteous  man,  that 
does  justice  when  to  do  so 
is  made  infamous  ;  and  he 
is  a  wise  man,  who  is  de- 
lighted with  a7i  ill  name 
that  is  well  gotten.  And 
indeed  that  man  hath  a 
strange"^  covetousness,  or 
folly,  that  is  not  contented 
with  this  reward,  that  he 
hath  pleased  God.  And  see 
what  he  gets    by  it.     He 

Chrys.  lib.  ii.  de  Compun.  cordis. 


PLRITY  OF  I^"TEXTION. 


19 


that  does  good  works  o  for 
praise  or  secular  ends,  sells 
an  inestimable  jewel  for  a 
trifle ;  an  1  that,  which 
would  purchase  Heaven  for 
him,  he  parts  with  for  the 
breath  of  the  people ;  which 
at  the  best  is  but  air,  and 
that  not  often  wholesome." 
4.  It  is  well  also,  when 
we  are  not  solicitous  or 
troubled  concerning  the  ef- 
fect and  event  of  all  our  ac- 
tions ;  but  that,  being  first 
by  prayer  recommended  to 
Him,  is  left  at  His  dispose  : 
for  then,  in  case  the  event 
be  not  answerable  to  our 
desires,  or  to  the  efficacy  of 
the  instrument,  we  have 
nothing  left  to  rest  in  but 
the  honesty  of  our  purposes ; 
which  it  is  the  more  likely 
we  have  secured,  by  how 
much  more  we  are  indiffe- 
rent concerning  the  success. 
St.  James  converted  but 
eight  persons,  when  he 
preached  in  Spain;  and 
our  blessed  Saviour  con- 
verted fewer  than  His  own 
disciples  did :  And  if  thy 
labours  prove  unprosperous, 
if  thou  beest  much  troubled 
at  that,  it  is  certain  thou 
didst  not  think  thyself  se- 
cure of  a  reward  for  your 
intention,  which  you  might 
have  done,  if  it  had  been 
pure  and  just. 


5.  He  loves  virtue  for 
God's  sake  and  its  own,  that 
loves  and  honours  it  loher- 
ever  it  is  to  be  seen  ;  but  he 
that  is  envious  or  angry  at 
a  virtue  that  is  not  his  own, 
at  the  perfection  or  excel- 
lency of  his  neighbour,  is 
not  covetous  of  the  virtue, 
but  of  its  reward  and  repu- 
tation ;  and  then  his  inten- 
tions are  polluted.  It  was 
a  great  ingenuity  in  Moses., 
that  wished  all  the  'people 
might  be  Prophets ;  but  if 
he  had  designed  his  own 
honour,  he  would  have  pro- 
phesied alone.  But  he  that 
desires  only  that  the  work 
of  God  and  Religion  shall 
go  on,  is  pleased  with 
it,  whoever  is  the  instru- 
ment. 

6,  He  that  despises  tlie 
world  and  all  its  ap]3endant 
vanities,  is  the  best  judge, 
and  the  most  secured,  of  his 
intentions ;  because  he  is 
the  furthest  removed  from 
a  temptation.  Every  degree 
of  mortification  is  a  testi- 
mony of  the  purity  of  our 
purposes :  and  in  what  de- 
gree we  despise  sensual 
pleasure,  or  secular  honours, 
or  worldly  reputation,  in 
the  same  degree  we  shall 
conclude  our  heart  right  to 
Religion  and  spiritual  de- 
signs. 


°  St.  Greg.  Moral.,  viii.  cap.  25. 


20 


PURITY  OP  INTENTION. 


7.  When  we  are  oiot  soli- 
citous concerning  the  in- 
struments and  means  of  our 
actions,  but  use  those  means 
which  God  hath  laid  before 
us,  with  resignation,  indif- 
ferency,  and  thankfulness ; 
it  is  a  good  sign  that  we  are 
rather  intent  upon  the  end 
of  God's  glory,  than  our 
own  conveniency  or  tempo- 
ral satisfaction.  He  that  is 
indifferent  whether  he  serve 
God  in  riches  or  in  poverty, 
is  rather  a  seeker  of  God 
than  of  himself;  and  he 
that  will  throw  away  a  good 
book  because  it  is  not  curi- 
ously gilded,  is  more  curi- 
ous to  please  his  eye,  than 
to  inform  his  understanding. 

8.  When  a  temporal  end 
consisting  with  a  spiritual, 
and  pretended  to  be  subor- 
dinate to  it,  happens  to  fail 
and  be  defeated  ;  if  we  can 
rejoice  in  that,  so  God's 
glory  may  be  secured  and 
the  interests  of  Religion  ;  it 
is  a  great  sign  our  hearts 
are  right,  and  our  ends  pru- 
dently designed  and  or- 
dered. 

When  our  intentions  are 
thus  balanced,  regulated, 
and  discerned,  we  may  con- 
sider, 1.  That  this  exercise 
is  of  so  universal  efficacy  in 
the  whole  course  of  a  holy 
life,  that  it  is  like  the  soul 
to   every   holy   action,   and 


must  be  provided  for  in 
every  undertaking ;  and  is 
of  itself  alone  sufficient  to 
make  all  natural  and  indif- 
ferent actions  to  be  adopted 
into  the  family  of  Religion. 
2.  That  there  are  some 
actions,  which  are  usually 
reckoned  as  parts  of  our 
Religion,  which  yet  of 
themselves  are  so  relative 
and  imperfect,  that  without 
the  purity  of  intention  they 
degenerate :  and  unless  they 
be  directed  and  proceed  on 
to  those  purposes  which  God 
designed  them  to,  they  re- 
turn into  the  family  of  com- 
mon, secular,  or  sinful  ac- 
tions. Thus  alms  are  for 
charity,  fasting  for  temper- 
ance, prayer  is  for  religion, 
humiliation  is  for  humility, 
austerity  or  sufferance  is  in 
order  to  the  virtue  of  pati- 
ence :  and  when  these  ac- 
tions fail  of  their  several 
ends,  or  are  not  directed  to 
their  own  purposes,  alms 
are  mis-spent,  fasting  is  an 
impertinent  trouble,  prayer 
is  but  lip-labour,  humilia- 
tion is  but  hypocrisy,  suffer- 
ance is  but  vexation  ;  for 
such  were  the  alms  of  the 
Pharisee,  t^iefast  of  Jezabel, 
the  prayer  of  Judah  re- 
proved by  the  Prophet 
Isaiah,  the  humiliation  of 
Ahab,  the  martyrdom  of 
Heretics  ;  in  which  nothing 


PURITY  OF  INTENTION. 


21 


is  given  to  God  but  the 
body  or  the  forms  of  Reli- 
gion, but  the  soul  and  the 
poiver  of  Godliness  is  wholly 
wanting. 

3.  We  are  to  consider, 
that  no  intention  can  sanc- 
tify an  tmholy  or  unlawful 
action.  Said,  the  King,  dis- 
obeyed God's  command- 
ment, and  spared  the  cattle 
of  Amaleh  to  reserve  the 
best  for  sacrifice  :  and  Said, 
the  Pharisee,  persecuted  the 
Church  of  God  with  a  de- 
sign to  do  God  service :  and 
they  that  killed  the  Apos- 
tles had  also  good  purposes, 
but  they  had  unhallowed 
actions.  When  there  is  both 
truth  in  election  and  charity 
in  the  intention  p  ;  when  we 
go  to  God  in  ways  of  His 
own  choosing  or  approving  ; 
then  OUT  eye  is  single,  and 


our  hands  are  clean,  and 
our  hearts  are  pure.  But 
when  a  man  does  evil  that 
good  may  come  of  it,  or 
good  to  an  evil  purpose  ; 
that  man  does  like  him  that 
rolls  himself  in  thorns  that 
he  may  sleep  easily  ;  he 
roasts  himself  in  the  fire, 
that  he  may  quench  his 
thii'st  with  his  own  sweat  : 
he  turns  his  face  to  the  east, 
that  he  may  go  to  bed  with 
the  Sun.  I  end  this  with 
the  saying  of  a  wise  Hea- 
then i;  "He  is  to  be  called 
evil,  that  is  only  good  for 
his  own  sake.  Regard  not 
how  full  hands  you  bring  to 
God,  but  how  pure.  Many 
cease  from  sin  out  of  fear 
alone,  not  out  of  innocence 
or  love  of  virtue ;  and  they 
(as  yet)  are  not  to  be  called 
innocent,  but  timorous." 


Sect.  III. 

The  third  general  Instrument  of  Holy  Living :  or  the 
Practice  of  the  Presence  of  God. 


That  God  is  present  in 
all  places,  that  He  sees  every 
action,  hears  all  discourses, 
and  understands  every 
thought,  is  no  strange  thing 
to  a  Christian  ear,  who  hath 
been  taught  this  doctrine 
not  only  by  right  reason, 
and  the  consent  of  all  the 

P  St.  Bern.  lib.  de  Praecept. 


wise  men  in  the  world,  but 
also  by  God  Himself  in  holy 
Scripture.  ^^Am  I  a  God  at 
hand,  saith  the  Lord,  and 
not  a  God  afar  off  2  Can 
any  hide  himself  in  secret 
places  that  I  shall  not 
see  him  ?  saith  the  Lord. 
Bo   not  I  fill  heaven  and 

q  Publius  Mimus. 


PRACTICE  OF  THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD. 


22 


earth^  ?  "  "  Neither  is  there 
any  creature  that  is  not 
manifest  in  His  sight ;  hut 
all  things  are  naked  and 
open  to  the  eyes  of  Him  with 
whom  we  have  to  do  *."  ^^  For 
in  Him  we  live  and  move 
and  have  our  being '."  God 
is  wholly  in  every  place  ; 
included  in  no  place ; 
not  bound  with  cords,  ex- 
cept those  of  love ;  not 
divided  into  parts ;  not 
changeable  into  several 
shapes ;  filling  heaven  and 
earth  with  His  present 
power,  and  with  His  never 
absent  nature.  So  St.  Au- 
gustine'i  expresses  this  ar- 
ticle. So  that  we  may  im- 
agine God  to  be  as  the  air 
and  the  sea ;  and  we  all 
inclosed  in  His  circle,  wrapt 
up  in  the  lap  of  His  infinite 
nature ;  or  as  infants  in  the 
wombs  of  their  pregnant 
mothers:  and  we  can  no 
more  be  removed  from  the 
presence  of  God,  than  from 
our  own  being. 

Several  manners  of  the 
Divine  presence. 

The  presence  of  God  is 
understood  by  us  in  several 
manners  and  to  several  pur- 
poses. 

1.  God  is  present  hy  His 
Essence  ;  which,  because  it 

,  Jer.  xxiii.  23,  24. 
J  Acts  vii.  28. 


is  infinite,  cannot  be  con- 
tained within  the  limits  of 
any  place  :  and  because  He 
is  of  an  essential  purity  and 
spiritual  nature,  He  cannot 
be  undervalued  by  being 
supposed  present  in  the 
places  of  unnatural  un- 
cleanness :  because,  as  the 
sun  reflecting  upon  the  mud 
of  strands  and  shores  is  un- 
polluted in  its  beams,  so  is 
God  not  dishonoured  when 
we  suppose  Him  in  every  of 
His  Creatures,  and  in  every 
part  of  every  one  of  them  ; 
and  is  still  as  unmixt  with 
any  unhandsome  adherence, 
as  is  the  soul  in  the  bowels 
of  the  body. 

2.  God  is  every  where 
present  hy  His  power.  He 
rules  the  orbs  of  Heaven 
with  His  hand ;  He  fixes  the 
Earth  with  His  foot ;  He 
guides  all  the  Creatures 
with  His  eye,  and  refreshes 
them  with  His  influence  : 
He  makes  the  powers  of 
Hell  to  shake  with  His  ter- 
rors, and  binds  the  Devils 
with  His  Word,  and  throws 
them  out  with  His  com- 
mand ;  and  sends  the  An- 
gels on  embassies  with  His 
decrees ;  He  hardens  the 
joints  of  infants,  and  con- 
firms the  bones  when  they 
are  fashioned  beneath  se- 

.  Heb.  iv.  13. 

•  Lib.  vii.  de  Civit.  c.  xxx. 


PRACTICE  OF  THE  PRESENCE  OP  GOD. 


23 


cretly  in  the  earth.  He  it 
is  that  assists  at  the  nume- 
rous productions  of  fishes ; 
and  there  is  not  one  hollow- 
ness  in  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,  but  He  shews  Himself 
to  be  Lord  of  it  by  sustain- 
ing there  the  creatures  that 
come  to  dwell  in  it :  And 
in  the  wilderness  the  bittern 
and  the  stork,  the  dragon 
and  the  satyr,  the  unicorn 
and  the  elk,  live  upon  His 
provisions,  and  revere  His 
power,  and  feel  the  force  of 
His  Almightiness. 

3.  God  is  more  specially 
present  in  some  places  by 
the  several  and  more  special 
manifestations  of  Himself 
to  extraordinary  purposes. 
First,  by  Glory.  Thus  His 
seat  is  in  Heaven  ;  because 
there  He  sits  encircled  with 
all  the  outward  demonstra- 
tions of  His  glory,  which  He 
is  pleased  to  shew  to  all  the 
inhabitants  of  those  His  in- 
ward and  secret  Courts. 
And  thus  they  that  die  in 
the  Lord  may  be  properly 
said  to  be  gone  to  God; 
with  whom  although  they 
were  before,  yet  now  they 
enter  into  His  Courts,  into 
the  secret  of  His  Tabernacle, 
into  the  retinue  and  splen- 
dour of  His  glory.  That  is 
called  walhincj  with  God  ; 
but  this  is  dwelling  or  heing  , 

»  Matt,  xviii.  20-    Heb.  x.  25. 


with  Him.  /  desire  to  he 
dissolved  and  to  he  with 
Christ;  so  said  S.  Paul, 
But  this  manner  of  the 
Divine  presence  is  reserved 
for  the  elect  people  of  God, 
and  for  their  portion  in 
their  country. 

4.  God  is  by  Grace  and 
heTiediction  specially  present 
in  holy  places'^,  and  in  the 
solemn  assemblies  of  His 
servants.  If  holy  people 
meet  in  grots  and  dens  of  the 
earth,  when  persecution  or 
a  public  necessity  disturbs 
the  public  order,  circum- 
stance, and  convenience  ; 
God  fails  not  to  come  thi- 
ther to  them :  but  God  is 
also  by  the  same  or  a  greater 
reason  present  there  where 
they  meet  ordinarily,  by 
order  and  public  authority : 
there  God  is  present  ordi- 
narily, that  is,  at  every  such 
meeting.  God  will  go  out 
of  His  way  to  meet  His 
Saints,  when  themselves  are 
forced  out  of  their  way  of 
order  by  a  sad  necessity : 
but  else,  God's  usual  icay  is 
to  be  present  in  those  places 
where  His  servants  are  ap- 
pointed orditiarilyto  meet  ^ . 
But  His  presence  there  sig- 
nifies nothing  but  a  readi- 
ness to  hear  their  prayers, 
to  bless  their  persons,  to  ac- 
cept their  offices,  and  to 
y  1  Kings  v.  9;  Ps.  cxxxviii.  1,  2. 


24 


PRACTICE  OP  THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD. 


like  even  the  circumstance 
of  orderly  and  public  meet- 
ing. For  thither  the  prayers 
of  consecration,  the  public 
authority  separating  it,  and 
God's  love  of  order,  and  the 
reasonable  customs  of  Reli- 
gion, have  in  ordinary,  and 
in  a  certain  degree,  fixed 
this  manner  of  His  presence ; 
and  He  loves  to  have  it  so. 
5.  God  is  especially  i:>re- 
sent  in  the  hearts  of  His 
people  by  His  Holy  Spirit  : 
and  indeed  the  hearts  of 
holy  men  are  Temples  in 
the  truth  of  things,  and  in 
type  and  shadow  they  are 
Heaven  itself.  For  God 
reigns  in  the  hearts  of  His 
servants  :  there  is  His  king- 
dom. The  povv^er  of  grace 
hath  subdued  all  His  ene- 
mies :  there  is  His  power. 
They  serve  Him  night  and 
day,  and  give  Him  thanks 
and  praise :  that  is  His  glory. 
This  is  the  religion  and 
worship  of  God  in  the  Tem- 
ple. The  Temple  itself  is 
the  heart  of  man  ;  Christ  is 
the  High  Priest,  who  from 
thence  sends  up  the  incense 
of  prayers,  and  joins  them 
to  His  own  intercession,  and 
presents  all  together  to  His 
Father ;  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
by  His  dwelling  there,  hath 
also  consecrated  it  into  a 
Temple «;  and  God   dwells 

"  1  Cor.  iii.  16 


in  our  hearts  by  faith,  and 
Christ  by  His  Spirit,  and  the 
Spirit  by  His  purities :  so 
that  we  are  also  Cabinets  of 
the  Mysterious  Trinity ;  and 
what  is  this  short  of  Heaven 
itself,  but  as  infancy  is  short 
of  manhood,  and  letters  of 
words?  The  same  state  of 
life  it  is,  but  not  the  same 
age.  It  is  Heaven  in  a 
looking-glass  (dark,  but  yet 
true)  representing  the  beau- 
ties of  the  Soul,  and  the 
graces  of  God,  and  the 
images  of  His  eternal  glory, 
by  the  reality  of  a  special 
presence. 

6.  God  is  specially  pre- 
sent in  the  consciences  of  all 
persons,  good  and  bad,  by 
way  of  testimony  and  judg- 
ment :  that  is.  He  is  there  a 
remembrancer  to  call  our 
actions  to  mind,  a  witness 
to  bring  them  to  judgment, 
and  a  judge  to  acquit  or  to 
condemn.  And  although 
this  manner  of  presence  is 
in  this  life  after  the  manner 
of  this  life,  that  is,  imper- 
fect, and  we  forget  many 
actions  of  our  lives ;  yet  the 
greatest  changes  of  our  state 
of  grace  or  sin,  our  most 
considerable  actions,  are  al- 
ways present,  like  Capital 
Letters  to  an  aged  and  dim 
eye:  and  at  the  day  of 
judgment   God  shall  draw 

2  Cor.  vi.  16. 


PRACTICE  OF  THE  PRESENCE  OP  GOD. 


25 


aside  the  cloud,  and  mani- 
fest this  manner  of  His  pre- 
sence more  notoriously,  and 
make  it  appear  that  He  was 
an  observer  of  our  very 
thoughts ;  and  that  He  only 
laid  those  things  by,  which 
because  we  covered  with 
dust  and  negligence,  were 
not  then  discerned.  But 
when  we  are  risen  from  our 
dust  and  imperfection,  they 
all  appear  plain  and  legible. 
Now  the  consideration  of 
this  great  truth  is  of  a  very 
universal  use  in  the  whole 
course  of  the  life  of  a 
Christian,  All  the  conse- 
quents and  effects  of  it  are 
universal.  *  He  that  remem- 
bers that  God  stands  a  loit- 
ness  and  a.  Judge,  beholding 
every  secrecy ;  besides  his 
impiety,  must  have  put  on 
impudence,  if  he  be  not 
much  restrained  in  his 
temptation  to  sin.  "  For 
the  greatest  part  of  sin  is 
taken  away  ^,  if  a  man  have  a 
witness  of  his  conversation  : 
And  he  is  a  great  despiser 
of  God,  who  sends  a  boy 
away  when  he  is  going  to 
commit  fornication ;  and 
yet  will  dare  to  do  it,  though 
he  knows  God  is  present 
and  cannot  be  sent  off:  as 
if  the  eye  of  a  little  boy 
were  more  awful  than  the 


all-seeing  eye  of  God.  He 
is  to  be  feared  in  public.  He 
is  to  be  feared  in  private  : 
if  you  go  forth,  He  spies 
you ;  if  you  go  in,  He  sees 
you  ;  when  you  light  the 
candle.  He  observes  you ; 
when  you  put  it  out,  then 
also  God  marks  you.  Be 
svu-e  that  while  you  are  in 
His  sight  you  behave  your- 
self as  becomes  so  holy  a 
presence."  But  if  you  will 
sin,  retire  yourself  wisely, 
and  go  where  God  cannot 
see  :  For  no  where  else  can 
you  be  safe.  And  certainly, 
if  men  would  always  actu- 
ally consider,  and  really 
esteem  this  truth,  that  God 
is  the  great  Eye  of  the 
World,  always  watching  over 
our  actions,  and  an  ever- 
open  Ear  to  hear  all  our 
words,  and  an  umvearied 
A  rm  ever  lifted  up  to  crush 
a  sinner  into  ruin  ;  it  would 
be  the  readiest  way  in  the 
world  to  make  sin  to  cease 
from  amongst  the  children 
of  men,  and  for  men  to  ap- 
proach to  the  blessed  estate 
of  the  Saints  in  Heaven, 
who  cannot  sin,  for  they 
always  walk  in  the  presence 
and  behold  the  face  of  God. 
This  instrument  is  to  be  re- 
duced to  practice  according 
to  the  following  Rules. 


St.  Aug.  de  verbis  Domiuicis,  c.  3. 
C 


26 


PRACTICE  OF  THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD. 


Rules  of  exercising  this 
consideration. 

1.  Let  this  actual  thought 
often  return,  that  God  is 
omnipresent,  filling  every 
place  ;  and  say  with  David, 
Whither  shall  I  go  from  Thy 
Spirit,  or   whither  shall   I 

fke  from  Thy' presence  ?  If 
I  ascend  up  into  heaven, 
Thou  art  there  :  If  I  make 
my  bed  in  hell,  Thou  aH 
there,  <kc^  This  thought  by 
being  frequent  will  make 
an  habitual  dread  and  re- 
verence towards  God,  and 
fear  in  all  thy  actions.  For 
it  is  a  great  necessity  and 
engagement  to  do  unblam- 
ably,  when  we  act  before 
the  Judge  *-■,  who  is  infallible 
in  His  sentence,  all  knowing 
in  His  information,  severe  in 
His  anger,  poiverful  in  His 
providence,  and  intolerablem 
llis  wrath  and  indignation. 

2,  In  the  beginning  of 
actions  of  Religion,  make 
an  act  of  Adoratiori,  that 
is,  solemnly  worship  God, 
and  place  thyself  in  God's 
presence,  and  behold  Him 
with  the  eye  of  faith  ;  and 
let  thy  desires  actually  fix 
on  Him  as  the  object  of  thy 
worship,  and  the  reason  of 
thy  hope,  and  the  fountain 
of  thy  blessing.  For  when 
thou    hast    placed    thyself 

^  Psalm  xiii.  7,  8. 


before  Him  and  kneelest  in 
His  presence,  it  is  most 
likely  all  the  following 
parts  of  thy  devotion  will 
be  answerable  to  the  wis- 
dom of  such  an  apprehen- 
sion, and  the  glory  of  such 
a  presence. 

3.  Let  every  thing  you 
see  represent  to  your  spirit 
the  presence,  the  excellency, 
and  the  power  of  God  ;  and 
let  your  conversation  with 
the  creatures  lead  you  unto 
the  Creator ;  for  so  shall 
your  actions  be  done  more 
frequently  with  an  actual 
eye  to  God's  presence,  by 
your  often  seeing  Him  in 
the  glass  of  the  Creation. 
In  the  face  of  the  Sun  you 
may  see  God's  beauty ;  in 
the  fire  you  may  feel  His 
heat  warming ;  in  the  water 
His  gentleness  to  refresh 
you  :  He  it  is  that  comforts 
your  spirit  when  you  have 
taken  cordials:  it  is  the 
dew  of  Heaven  that  makes 
your  field  give  you  bread  ; 
and  the  breasts  of  God  are 
the  bottles  that  minister 
drink  to  your  necessities. 
This  philosophy,  which  is 
obvious  to  every  man's  ex- 
perience, is  a  good  advan- 
tage to  our  piety  ;  and  by 
this  act  of  understanding 
our  wills  are  checked  from 
violence  and  misdemeanour. 

c  Boeth  lib.  5,  de  Consol. 


i-KACTICE  OF  THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD. 


27 


4.  In  your  retirement 
make  frequent  colloquies  or 
short  discoursings  between 
God  and  thy  own  soul. 
Seven  times  a  day  do  I 
praise  Thee^ :  and  in  the 
night  season  also  I  thought 
upon  Thee  while  I  was 
vjaking^.  So  did  David: 
and  every  act  of  complaint 
or  thanksgiving,  every  act 
of  rejoicing  or  of  mourning, 
every  petition  and  every 
return  of  the  heart  in  these 
intercourses,  is  a  going  to 
God,  an  appearing  in  His 
presence,  and  a  represent- 
ing Him  present  to  thy 
spirit  and  to  thy  necessity. 
And  this  was  long  since  by 
a  spiritual  person  called,  a 
building  to  God  a  Chapel 
in  our  heart.  It  reconciles 
Martha's  employment  with 
Mary's  devotion,  charity, 
and  Religion,  the  necessi- 
ties of  our  calling  and  the 
employments  of  devotion. 
For  thus  in  the  midst  of 
the  works  of  your  trade, 
you  may  retire  into  your 
chapel,  your  heart,  and 
converse  with  God  by  fre- 
quent addresses  and  returns. 
5.  Represent  and  offer  to 
God  acts  of  love  and  fear  ; 
which  are  the  proper  effects 
of  this  apprehension,  and  [ 
the  proper  exercise  of  this  } 
consideration.     For,  as  God 

*  Ps,  oxix.  164.         e  Ps.  cxix.  55 


is  every  where  present  by 
His  power,  He  calls  for  reve- 
rence and  godly  fear :  as 
He  is  present  to  thee  in  all 
thy  needs,  and  relieves  them. 
He  deserves  thy  love :  and 
since  in  every  accident  of 
our  lives  we  find  one  or 
other  of  these  apparent,  and 
in  most  things  we  see  both, 
it  is  a  proper  and  propor- 
tionate return,  that  to  every 
such  demonstration  of  God, 
we  express  ourselves  sensible 
of  it,  by  admiring  the  Di- 
vine goodness,  or  trembling 
at  His  presence  :  ever  obey- 
ing Him,  because  we  love 
Him;  and  ever  obeying  Him, 
because  we  fear  to  offend 
Him.  This  is  that  which 
Enoch  did,  who  thus  walked 
with  God. 

6.  Let  us  remember  that 
God  is  in  us,  and  that  we 
are  in  Him :  we  are  His 
workmanship,  let  us  not  de- 
face it ;  we  are  in  His  pre- 
sence, let  us  not  pollute  it 
by  unholy  and  impure  ac- 
tions. God  hath  also  wrought 
all  our  Ivor ks  in  us^ :  and, 
because  He  rejoices  in  His 
own  works ;  if  we  defile 
them,  and  make  them  un- 
pleasant to  Him,wewalk  per- 
versly  with  God,  and  He  will 
walk  crookedly  towards  us. 

7.  God  is  in  the  bowels 
of     thy     brother;     refresh 


;   Ps.  Ixiii.  6. 


^  Isa.  xxvi.  12. 


c2 


28 


PRACTICE  OF  THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD. 


them  when  he  needs  it,  and 
then  you  give  your  alms  in 
the  presence  of  God  and  to 
God;  and  He  feels  the  re- 
lief which  thou  providest 
for  thy  brother. 

God  is  in  every  place : 


presence,  hallowed  by  His 
touch,  and  separated  from 
unholy  use,  by  making  them 
to  belong  to  His  dwelling. 

10.  He  walks  as  in  the 
presence  of  God,  that  con- 
verses with  Him  in  frequent 


suppose  it  therefore  to  be  a  prayer  and  frequent  com- 
Church :  and  that  decency  munion  ;  that  runs  to  Him 
of  deportment  and  piety  of    in  all  his  necessities  ;  that 


carriage,    which    you     are 
taught   by  Religion   or  by 
custom   or  by  civility  and 
public   manners  to   use   in 
Churches,  the  same  use  in 
all  places  :  with  this  differ- 
ence only,  that  in  Churches 
let  your  deportment  be  re- 
ligious   in   external    forms 
and     circumstances     also ; 
but  there  and  every  where 
let  it  be  religious  in  abstain- 
ing from  spiritual  indecen- 
cies, and  in  readiness  to  do 
good  actions:  that  it  may 
not  be  said  of  us,  as  God 
once  complained  of  His  peo- 
ple,  Why  hath  My  beloved 
done     wickedness     in     My 
housed  ? 

9.  God  is  in  every  crea- 
ture :  be  cruel  towards 
none,  neither  abuse  any  by 
intemperance.  Remember 
that  the  creatures,  and 
every  member  of  thy  own 
body,  is  one  of  the  lesser 
cabinets  and  receptacles  of 
God.  They  are  such  which 
God  hath  blessed  with  His 


asks  counsel  of  Him  in  all 
his  doubtings  ;  that  opens 
all  his  wants  to  Him  ;  that 
weeps  before  Him  for  his 
sins  ;  that  asks  remedy  and 
support  for  his  weakness ; 
that  fears  Him  as  a  Judge  ; 
reverences  Him  as  a  Lord  ; 
obeys  Him  as  a  Father ;  and 
loves  Him  as  a  Patron. 

The  Benefits  of  this  exercise. 

The  benefits  of  this  con- 
sideration and  exercise  be- 
ing universal  upon  all  the 
parts  of  piety,  I  shall  less 
need  to  specify  any  parti- 
culars ;  but  yet  most  pro- 
perly this  exercise  of  con- 
sidering the  livine  presence 
is,  1.  An  excellent  help  to 
prayer,  producing  in  us 
reverence  and  awfulness  to 
the  l)ivine  Majesty  of  God, 
and  actual  devotion  in  our 
offices.  2.  It  produces  a 
confidence  in  God,  and  fear- 
lessness of  our  enemies,  pa- 
tience in  trouble,  and  hope 
of  remedy  ;  since  God  is  so 


g  Jer,  xi.  15,  secun.  vulg.  Edit. 


PRACTICE  OP  THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD. 


nigh  in  all  our  sad  acci- 
dents, Tie  is  a  disposer  of 
the  hearts  of  men  and  the 
events  of  things,  He  propor- 
tions out  our  trials,  and 
supplies  us  with  remedy, 
and  where  His  rod  strikes 
us,  His  staff  sujp'ports  us.  To 
which  we  may  add  this ; 
that  God,  who  is  always 
with  us,  is  especially  It/ 
promise  with  us  in  tribula- 
tion, to  turn  the  misery 
into  a  mercy,  and  that  our 
greatest  trouble  may  be- 
come our  advantage  by  en- 
titling us  to  a  new  manner 
of  the  Divine  presence. 
3.  It  is  apt  to  produce  joy 
and  rejoicing  in  God,  we 
being  more  apt  to  delight 
in  the  partners  and  wit- 
nesses of  our  conversation  ; 
every  degree  of  mutual 
abiding  and  conversing 
being  a  relation  and  an  en- 
dearment: we  are  of  the 
same  household  with  God; 
He  is  with  us  in  our  natural 
actions  to  preserve  us,  in 
our  recreations  to  restrain 
us,  in  our  public  actions  to 
applaud  or  reprove  us,  in 
our  private  to  observe  us, 
in  our  sleeps  to  watch  by 
us,  in  our  watchings  to  re- 
fresh us  :  and  if  we  walk 
with  God  in  all  His  ways  as 
He  walks  with  us  in  all  ours, 
we  shall  find  perpetual  rea- 

^  In  vita 


sons  to  enable  us  to  keep 
that  rule  of  God,  Rejoice  in 
the  Lord  ahvays,  and  again 
I  say  rejoice.  And  this 
puts  me  in  mind  of  a  saying 
of  an  old  religious  person  >', 
"  There  is  one  way  of  over- 
coming our  ghostly  ene- 
mies; spiritual  mirth,  and 
a  perpetual  bearing  of  God 
in  our  minds."  This  eifec- 
tively  resists  the  Devil,  and 
suffers  us  to  receive  no  hurt 
from  him.  4.  This  exercise 
is  apt  also  to  enkindle  holy 
desires  of  the  enjoyment  of 
God,  because  it  produces 
joy  when  we  do  enjoy  Him ; 
the  same  desires  that  a 
weak  man  hath  for  a  de- 
fender, the  sick  man  for  a 
physician,  the  poor  for  a 
patron,  the  child  for  his 
father,  the  espoused  lover 
for  her  betrothed,  5.  From 
the  same  fountain  are  apt 
to  issue  humility  of  spirit, 
apprehensions  of  our  great 
distance  and  our  great 
needs,  our  daily  wants  and 
hourly  supplies,  admiration 
of  God's  unspeakable  mer- 
cies :  It  is  the  cause  of  great 
modesty  and  decency  in 
our  actions  ;  it  helps  to  re- 
collection of  mind,  and  re- 
strains the  scatterings  and 
looseness  of  wandering 
thoughts :  it  establishes  the 
heart  in  good  purposes,  and 

St.  Antho. 


30 


PRACTICE  OP  THE  PRESENCE  OF  GOD. 


leadeth  on  to  perseverance ; 
it  gains  purity  and  perfec- 
tion, (according  to  the  say- 
ing of  Ood  to  Abraham, 
Walk  before  Me,  and  be  pe- 
fect,)  holy  fear,  and  holy 
love,  and  indeed  everything 
that  pertains  to  holy  living : 
when  we  see  ourselves 
placed  in  the  Eye  of  God, 
who  sets  us  on  work  and 
will  reward  us  plenteously, 
to  serve  Him  with  an  Eye- 
service  is  very  pleasing ;  for 
He  also  sees  the  heart :  and 
the  want  of  this  considera- 
tion was  declared  to  be  the 
cause  why  Israel  sinned  so 
grievously,  ^^  For  they  say, 
The  Lord  hath  forsaken  the 


earth,  and  the  Lord  seeth 
notK-'^  "therefore  the  land 
is  full  of  blood,  and  the  city 
fullofperversejiess^."  What 
a  child  would  do  in  the  eye 
of  his  father,  and  a  pupil 
before  his  tutor,  and  a  wife 
in  the  presence  of  her  hus- 
band, and  a  servant  in  the 
sight  of  his  master ;  let  us 
always  do  the  same :  for 
we  are  made  a  spectacle  to 
God,  to  Angels,  and  to  men^; 
we  are  always  in  the  sight 
and  presence  of  the  All- 
seeing  and  Almighty  God, 
who  also  is  to  us  a  Father 
and  a  Guardian,  a  Husband 
and  a  Lord. 


PRAYERS    AND    DEVOTIONS    ACCORDING   TO    THE   RELIGION 
AND  PURPOSES  OF  THE  FOREGOING  CONSIDERATIONS. 


I. — For  grace  to  spend  our 
tiTne  well. 

0  Eternal  God,  who  from 
all  eternity  dost  behold  and 
love  Thy  own  glories  and 
perfections  infinite,  and  hast 
created  me  to  do  the  work 
of  God  after  the  manner  of 
men,  and  to  serve  Thee  in  : 
this  generation,  and  accord-  I 
ing  to  my  capacities  ;  give 
me  Thy  grace,  that  I  may 
be  a  curious  and  prudent  i 
spender  of  my  time,  so  as  I  1 
may  best  prevent  or  resist  ' 

'  l\ix\.  X,  II.  ^  Ezek 


all  temptation,  and  be  pro- 
fitable to  the  Christian  Com- 
monwealth, and  by  dis- 
charging all  my  duty  may 
glorify  Thy  Name.  Take 
from  me  all  slothfulness,  and 
give  me  a  diligent  and  an 
active  spirit,  and  wisdom  to 
choose  my  employment ; 
that  I  may  do  works  pro- 
portionable to  my  person, 
and  to  the  dignity  of  a 
Christian,  and  may  fill  up 
all  the  spaces  of  my  time 
with  actions  of  Religion 
and  Charity ;  that,  when 
ix.  9.  '  1  Cor.  iv.  9. 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DAT3. 


31 


the  Devil  assaults  me,  he 
may  not  find  me  idle,  and 
my  dearest  Lord  at  His 
sudden  coming  may  find 
me  busy  in  lawful,  neces- 
sary, and  pious  actions  ; 
improving  my  talent  en- 
trusted to  me  by  Thee,  my 
Lord,  that  I  may  enter  into 
the  joy  of  my  Lord,  to  par- 
take of  His  eternal  felici- 
ties, even  for  Thy  mercy 
sake,  and  for  my  dearest 
Saviour's  sake.     Amen. 

If  Here  follows  the  devo- 
tion of  ordinary  days  ; 
for  the  right  employ- 
ment of  those  portions 
of  time  which  every 
day  must  allow  for  Reli- 
gion. 

The  first  Prayers    in  the 
Morning  as  soon  as  we 
are  dressed. 
%  Humbly  and  reverently 
compose   yourself,  with 
heart    lift    up    to    God 
and  your  head  bowed  ; 
and,     meekly    kneeling 
upon    your    knees,   say 
the  Lord's  Prayer :  after 
which,  use   the  follow- 
ing Collects,  or  as  many 
of    them  as   you   shall 
choose. 
Our  Father  which  art  in 
Heaven,  &c. 

•n  Rev.  xi.  17. 
o  Rev.  iv.  10,  11. 


1. — An  act  of  Adoration^ 

being  the  song  that  the 

Angels  sing  in  Heaven. 

Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord 

God  Almighty,  which  was, 

and  is,  and  is  to  come™  : 

Heaven  and  Earth,  Angels 

and  Men,  the  Air  and  the 

Sea,  give  glory,  and  honour, 

and    thanks   to   Him   that 

sitteth  on  the  throne,  who 

liveth  for  ever  and  ever". 

All  the  blessed  spirits  and 

souls  of  the  righteous  cast 

their     crowns     before     the 

throne,   and   worship   Him 

that    liveth    for   ever   and 

ever  ;    "  Thou  art    worthy, 

0  Lord,    to   receive   glory, 

and  honour,  and  power  ;  for 

Thou  hast  created  all  things, 

and  for  Thy  pleasure  they 

are     and    were    created"." 

"  Great  and  marvellous  are 

Thy    works,    0   Lord    God 

Almighty :    just   and   true 

:  are  Thy  ways,  Thou  King 

I  of  Saints  P.     Thy  wisdom  is 

I  infinite,   Thy    mercies    are 

glorious ;    and   I    am    not 

j  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  appear  in 

Thy  presence,  before  whom 

the  Angels  hide  their  faces. 

0  Holy  and  Eternal  Jesus, 

j  Lamb    of    God,   who    wert 

I  slain    from    the   beginning 

'  of  the   world,  Thou  "  hast 

I  redeemed  us  to  God  by  Thy 

"  Rev.  V.  11,  ]3. 
P  Rev.  XV.  3. 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


32 

blood  out  of  every  nation, 
and  hast  made  us  unto  oui- 
God  kings  and  priests,  and 
we  shall  reign  with  Thee  for 
ever"!."  "  Blessing, honour, 
glory  and  power  be  unto 
Him  that  sitteth  on  the 
throne  and  to  the  Lamb 
for  ever^"     Amen. 

II. — An  act  of  thanksgiving, 
being  the  song  of  David 
for  the  Morning. 

Sing  praises  unto  the 
Lord*,  0  ye  Saints  of  His, 
and  give  thanks  to  Him  for 
a  remembrance  of  His  holi- 
ness. For  His  wrath  en- 
dureth  but  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye,  and  in  His  plea- 
sure is  life  ;  heaviness  may 
endure  for  a  night,  but  joy 
Cometh  in  the  morning. 
Thou,  Lord,  hast  preserved 
me  this  night  from  the 
violence  of  the  spirits  of 
darkness*,  from  all  sad 
casualties  and  evil  acci- 
dents, from  the  wrath 
which  I  have  every  day  de- 
served :  Thou  hast  brought 
my  Soul  out  of  hell ",  Thou 
hast  kept  my  life  from  them 
that  go  down  into  the  pit : 
Thou  hast  shewed  me  mar- 
vellous great  kindness  %  and 
hast  blessed  me   for  ever : 


the  greatness  of  Thy  glory 
reacheth  unto  the  heavens, 
and  Thy  truth  imto  the 
clouds  ^.  Therefore  shall 
every  good  man  sing  of 
Thy  praise  without  ceasing. 
0  my  God,  I  will  give 
thanks  unto  Thee  for  ever  ^. 
Allelujah. 

III. — An  Act  of  oblation  or 
presenting  oitrselves  to 
God  for  the  day. 

Most  Holy  and  Eternal 
God,  Lord  and  Sovereign 
of  all  the  creatures,  I  hum- 
bly present  to  Thy  Divine 
Majesty  myself,  my  Soul 
and  body,  my  thoughts  and 
my  words,  my  actions  and 
intentions,  my  passions  and 
my  sufferings,  to  be  dis- 
posed by  Thee  to  Thy  glory ; 
to  be  blessed  by  Thy  provi- 
dence ;  to  be  guided  by 
Thy  counsel ;  to  be  sancti- 
fied by  Thy  Spirit ;  and 
afterwards  that  my  body 
and  Soul  may  be  received 
into  glory  :  for  nothing  can 
perish  which  is  under  Thy 
custody  ;  and  the  enemy  of 
iSouls  cannot  devour  what 
is  Thy  portion,  nor  take  it 
out  of  Thy  hands.  This 
day,  0  Lord,  and  all  the 
days  of  my  life  I  dedicate 


I   Rev.  V.  9, 

10 

r 

Rev 

.  V. 

13. 

•  Ps. 

XXX.  4 

,5 

t  Ps.  XXX.    1 

u 

Ps. 

XXX 

.3. 

X   Ps 

XXXi. 

23 

y  Ps.  xxxvi 

3; 

cviii 

4, 

5. 

=  Ps. 

XXX 

12. 

DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY    PAYS. 


33 


to  Thy  honour,  and  the  ac- 
tions of  my  calling  to  the 
uses  of  grace,  and  the  Re- 
ligion of  all  my  days  to  be 
united  to  the  merits  and 
intercession  of  my  holy 
Saviour  Jesus ;  that  in  Him 
and  for  Him  I  may  be  par- 
doned and  accepted.  Amen. 

IV. — An  act  of  Repentance 
or  Contrition. 

For  as  for  me,  I  am  not 
worthy  to  be  called  Thy 
servant,  much  less  am  I 
worthy  to  be  Thy  son  ;  for 
I  am  the  vilest  of  sinners 
and  the  worst  of  men,  a 
lover  of  the  things  of  the 
world  and  a  despiser  of  the 
things  of  God,  \j)roud  and 
envioiLS,  lustful  and  intem- 
perate,'] greedy  of  sin  and 
impatient  of  reproof,  de- 
sirous to  seem  holy  and 
negligent  of  being  so, 
transported  with  interest, 
fooled  with  presumption 
and  false  principles,  dis- 
turbed with  anger,  with  a 
peevish  and  unmortified 
spirit,  and  disordered  by  a 
whole  body  of  sin  and  death. 
Lord,  pardon  all  my  sins  for 
my  sweetest  Saviour's  sake  : 
Thou  who  didst  die  for  me. 
Holy  Jesus,  save  me  and 
deliver  me  :  reserve  not 
my  sins  to  be  punished  in 
the  day  of  wrath  and  eter- 
nal vengeance  ;    but  wash 


j  away    my    sins,    and    blot 
I  them  out  of  Thy   remem- 
j  brance,  and  purify  my  Soul 
with  the   waters  of   repen- 
tance and  the  blood  of  the 
cross  ;  that  for  what  is  past 
I  Thy  wrath  may  not  come 
out  against  me,  and  for  the 
time  to  come  I  may  never 
provoke  Thee  to  auger  or 
to    jealousy.     0   just    and 
dear    God,   be   pitiful   and 
gracious    to    Thy    servant. 
Amen. 

V. — TJie  Prayer  or  Petition. 

Bless  me,  gracious  God, 
in  my  calling  to  such  pui-- 
poses  as  Thou  shalt  choose 
;  for  me,  or  employ  me  in  : 
!  Relieve  me  in  all  my  sad- 
I  nesses,  make  my  bed  in  my 
;  sickness,  give  me  patience 
]  in   my   sorrows,   confidence 
in  Thee,  and  grace  to  call 
upon  Thee  in  all  tempta- 
tions.   0  be  Thou  my  Guide 
in  all  my  actions,  my  Pro- 
I  tector  in  all  dangers  :  give 
me  a   healthful  body,  and 
!  a   clear  understanding  ;    a 
I  sanctified  and  just,  a  chari- 
table and  humble,  a  religious 
and  a  contented  spirit :  let 
I  not  my  life  be  miserable  and 
j  wretched  ;     nor    my   name 
:  stained  with  sin  and  shame, 
I  nor  my  condition  lifted  up 
to  a  tempting  and  danger- 
ous   fortune  :    but   let  my 
condition  be   blessed ;    my 
o3 


34 


DEYOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


conversation  useful  to  my 
neighbours  and  pleasing  to 
Thee  ;  that,  when  my  body 
shall'lie  down  in  its  bed  of 
darkness,  my  Soul  may  pass 
into  the  regions  of  light, 
and  live  with  Thee  for 
ever,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

VI. — A n  act  of  intercession 
or  prayer  for  others,  to  he 
added  to  this  or  any  other 
office,  as  our  devotion,  or 
duty,  or  their  needs,  shall 
detervnhu  us. 

0  God  of  infinite  mercy, 
who  hast  compassion  on  all 
men,  and  relievest  the  ne- 
cessities of  all  that  call  to 
Thee  for  help,  hear  the 
prayers  of  Thy  servant  who 
is  unworthy  to  ask  any 
petition  for  himself,  yet  in 
humility  and  duty  is  bound 
to  pray  for  others. 

For  the  Church. 

0  let  Thy  mercy  descend 
upon  the  whole  Church  ; 
preserve  her  in  truth  and 
peace,  in  unity  and  safety, 
in  all  storms,  and  against 
all  temptations  and  ene- 
mies :  that  she,  offering  to 
Thy  glory  the  never-ceasing 
sacrifice  of  prayer  and 
thanksgiving,  may  advance 
the  honour  of  her  Lord,  and 
be  filled  with  His  Spirit,  and 
partake  of  His  glory.  Amen. 


For  the  King. 

In  mercy  remember  the 
King  ;  preserve  his  person 
in  health  and  honour,  his 
crown  in  wealth  and  dig- 
nity, his  kingdom  in  peace 
and  plenty,  the  Churches 
under  his  protection  in 
piety  and  knowledge,  and 
a  strict  and  holy  Religion  : 
keep  him  perpetually  in 
Thy  fear  and  favour,  and 
crown  him  with  glory  and 
immortality.     Amen. 

For  the  Clergy. 

Remember  them  that 
minister  about  holy  things ; 
let  them  be  clothed  with 
righteousness  and  sing  with 
joy  fulness.     Ame7i. 

For  Wife  or  Husband. 

Bless  thy  servant  my 
\_Wife,  or  Husband']  with 
health  of  body  and  of 
spirit,  0  let  the  hand  of 
Thy  blessing  be  upon  his 
[or  her]  head  night  and 
day,  and  support  him,  in 
all  necessities,  strengthen 
him  in  all  temptations,  com- 
fort him  in  all  his  sorrows, 
and  let  hi'in  be  thy  servant 
in  all  changes  ;  and  make 
us  both  to  dwell  with  Thee 
for  ever  in  Thy  favour,  in 
the  light  of  Thy  counten- 
ance, and  in  Thy  glory. 
Amen. 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


35 


For  our  Children. 

Bless  my  CMldren  with 
healthful  bodies,  with  good 
understandings,  with  the 
graces  and  gifts  of  Thy 
Spirit,  with  sweet  disposi-  j 
tions  and  holy  habits,  and  : 
sanctify  them  throughout 
in  their  bodies  and  Souls 
and  spirits,  and  keep  them 
unblameable  to  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,     Amen. 

For  Friends  and  Benefac-  \ 
tors.  i 

Be  pleased,  0  Lord,  to 
remember  my  friends,  all 
that  have  prayed  for  me, 
and  all  that  have  done  me 
good.  [Here  7iani€  such 
whom  you  looidd  specially 
reconwiend.']  Do  Thou  good 
to  them  and  return  all  their 
kindness  double  into  their 
own  bosom,  rewarding  them 
with  blessings,  and  sancti- 
fying them  with  Thy  graces, 
and  bringing  them  to 
glory. 

For  our  Family. 

Let  all  my  family  and 
kindred,  my  neighbours 
and  acquaintance  [here 
name  what  other  relation 
you  please']  receive  the 
benefit  of  my  prayers,  and 
the  blessings  of  God  ;  the 
comforts  and  supports  of  Thy 
providence,  and  the  sancti- 
fication  of  Thy  Spirit. 


For  all 


m  misery. 


Relieve  and  comfort  all 
the  persecuted  and  afflicted : 
speak  peace  to  troubled  con- 
sciences :  strengthen  the 
weak  :  confirm  the  strong  : 
instruct  the  ignorant :  de- 
liver the  oppressed  from 
him  that  spoileth  him,  and 
relieve  the  needy  that  hath 
no  helper  ;  and  bring  us 
all  by  the  waters  of  comfort 
and  in  the  ways  of  right- 
eousness to  the  Kingdom 
of  rest  and  glory,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
A^nen. 

To  God  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  To  the 
eternal  Son  that  was  in- 
carnate and  born  of  a 
Virgin,  To  the  Spirit  of 
the  Father  and  the  Son, 
be  all  honour  and  glory, 
worship  and  thanksgiving 
now  and  for  ever.     Amen. 

A  nother  fo  rm  of  Prayer  for 
the  Morning. 

In     the     Name     of     the 
Father,     and     of      the 
Son,  and  of    the  Holy 
Ghost.       Our      Father, 
&c. 
I.  Most  glorious  and  eter- 
nal God,  Father  of  mercy, 
and  God  of  all  comfort,  I 
worship    and    adore    Thee 
with  the  lowest  humility  of 
my  Soul  and  body,  and  give 


36 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DAYS. 


Thee  all  thanks  and  praise 
for  Thy  infinite  and  essential 
glories  and  perfections,  and 
for  the  continual  demon- 
stration of  Thy  mercies  upon 
me,  upon  all  mine,  and 
upon  Thy  holy  Catholic 
Church. 

II.  I  Acknowledge,  dear 
God,  that  I  have  deserved 
the  greatest  of  Thy  wrath 
and  indignation  ;  and  that, 
if  Thou  hadst  dealt  with  me 
according  to  my  deserving, 
I  had  now  at  this  instant 
been  desperately  bewailing 
my  miseries  in  the  sorrows 
and  horrors  of  a  sad  eter- 
nity. But,  Thy  mercy  tri- 
umphing over  Thy  justice 
and  my  sins.  Thou  hast  still 
continued  to  me  life  and 
time  of  repentance  ;  Thou 
hast  opened  to  me  the  gates 
of  grace  and  mercy,  and 
perpetually  callest  upon  me 
to  enter  in  and  to  walk  in 
the  paths  of  a  holy  life, 
that  I  might  glorify  Thee 
and  be  glorified  of  Thee 
eternally. 

III.  Behold,  0  God,  for 
this  Thy  great  and  un- 
speakable goodness,  for  the 
preservation  of  me  this 
night,  and  for  all  other 
Thy  graces  and  blessings, 
I  offer  up  my  Soul  and 
body,  all  that  I  am,  and 
all  that  I  have,  as  a  Sacri- 


fice to  Thee  and  Thy  service ; 
humbly  begging  of  Thee  to 
pardon  all  my  sins,  to  de- 
fend me  from  all  evil,  to 
lead  me  into  all  good,  and 
let  my  portion  be  amongst 
Thy  redeemed  ones  in  the 
gathering  together  of  the 
Saints,  in  the  Kingdom  of 
grace  and  glory. 

IV.  Guide  me,  0  Lord, 
in  all  the  changes  and 
varieties  of  the  world  ;  that 
in  all  things  that  shall 
happen,  I  may  have  an 
evenness  and  tranquillity  of 
spirit ;  that  my  Soul  may 
be  wholly  resigned  to  Thy 
Divinest  Will  and  pleasure, 
never  murmuring  at  Thy 
gentle  chastisements  and 
fatherly  correction,  never 
waxing  proud  and  insolent, 
though  I  feel  a  torrent  of 
comforts  and  prosperous 
successes. 

V.  Fix  my  thoughts,  my 
hopes  and  my  desires 
upon  Heaven  and  hea- 
venly things  ;  teach  me  to 
despise  the  world,  to  repent 
me    deeply   for    my    sins  ; 

'  give  me  holy  purposes  of 
amendment,  and  ghostly 
strength  and  assistances  to 
perform  faithfully  whatso- 

i  ever  I  shall  intend  piously. 
Enrich    my   understanding 

I  with  an  eternal  treasure  of 
Divine  truths,  that  I  may 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DAYS. 


37 


know  Thy  will  ;  and,  Thou 
who  workest  in  us  to  will 
and  to  do  of  Thy  good 
pleasure,  teach  me  to  obey 
all  Thy  Commandments,  to 
believe  all  Thy  Revelations, 
and  make  me  partaker  of 
all  Thy  gracious  promises. 

VI.  Teach  me  to  watch 
over  all  Thy  ways,  that  I  may 
never  be  surprised  by  sudden 
temptations  or  a  careless 
spirit,  nor  ever  return  to 
folly  and  vanity.  Set  a 
watch,  0  Lord,  before  my 
mouth,  and  keep  the  door 
of  my  lips,  that  I  oiFend 
not  in  my  tongue  neither 
against  piety  nor  charity. 
Teach  me  to  think  of  no- 
thing but  Thee,  and  what 
is  in  order  to  Thy  glory  and 
service ;  to  speak  nothing 
but  Thee  and  Thy  glories ; 
and  to  do  nothing  but  what 
becomes  Thy  servant,  whom 
Thy  infinite  mercy  by  the 
graces  of  Thy  holy  Spirit 
hath  sealed  up  to  the  day 
of  Redemption. 

VII.  Let  all  my  passions 
and  affections  be  so  morti- 
fied and  brought  under  the 
dominion  of  grace,  that  I 
may  never  by  deliberation 
and  purpose,  nor  yet  by 
levity,  rashness,  or  incon- 
sideration  offend  Thy  Divine 
Majesty,  Make  me  such  as 
Thou  wouldst  have  me  to 


be  :  strengthen  my  faith, 
confirm  my  hope,  and  give 
me  a  daily  increase  of 
charity,  that  this  day  and 
ever  I  may  serve  Thee  ac- 
cording to  all  my  oppor- 
tunities and  capacities ; 
growing  from  grace  to 
grace,  till  at  last  by  Thy 
mercies  I  shall  receive  the 
consummation  and  perfec- 
tion of  grace,  even  the 
glories  of  Thy  Kingdom  in 
the  full  fruition  of  the  face 
and  excellencies  of  God  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  to  whom  be 
glory  and  praise,  honour 
and  adoration  given  by  all 
Angels,  and  all  men,  and 
all  creatures,  now  and  to 
all  eternity.     Amen. 

^  To  this  may  be  added 
the  prayer  of  Interces- 
sion for  others  whom 
we  are  bound  to  re- 
member, which  is  at 
the  end  of  the  forego- 
ing Prayer ;  or  else 
you  may  take  such 
special  Prayers  which 
follow  at  the  end  of 
the  fourth  Chapter  [for 
Parents,  for  Children, 
&c.] 

After  ivhich,  conclude  with 
this  Ejaculation. 

Now,   in    all   tribulation 
and  anguish  of  spirit,  in  all 


38 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  OEDINARY  DATS. 


dangers  of  Soul  and  body, 
in  prosperity  and  adversity, 
in  the  hour  of  death  and  in 
the  day  of  Judgment,  holy 
and  most  blessed  Saviour 
Jesiis,  have  mercy  upon  me, 


make  His  Name  to  be  glo- 
rious, 0  come  hither  and 
behold  the  works  of  God, 
how  wonderful  He  is  in  His 
doings  towards  the  children 
of   men.     He   ruleth   with 


save  me  and  deliver  me  and  I  His  power  for  ever  a. 

all  faithful  people.  Ame7i. 
U  Between  this  and  noon 
usually  are  said  the 
public  Prayers  ap- 
pointed by  Authority  ; 
to  which  all  the  Clergy 
are  obliged,  and  other 
devout  persons,  that 
have  leisure  to  accom-  j  captivity ; 
pany  them.  j  runagates 

<r  After  noon  or  at  any  I 
time  of  the  day,  when  ; 
a  devout  person  retires  , 
into  his  closet  for  pri-  \ 
vate  Prayer,  or  spiri-  i 
tual  exercises,  he  may  i 
say  the  following  devo- 
tions. I 

An  exercise   to  he  used  at  \ 
any  time  of  the  day.         I 

In  the  Name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  &c. 
Our  Father,  &c.  i 

The  Hymn  collected  out  of 
the  Psalms,  recounting 
the  excellencies  and  great- 
ness of  God. 

0  be  joyful  in  God,  all  ye 
lands ;  sing  praises  unto 
the  honour  of  His  Name, 


•  Ps.  Ixvi.  1,  4, 
"*  Ps.  xxxiii.  8. 


•>  Ps.  IxvJii.  5,  6. 
•  Vi.  IxY.  5. 


He  is  the  father  of  the 
fatherless,  and  defendeth 
the  cause  of  the  widow, 
even  God  in  His  holy  habi- 
tation. He  is  the  God  that 
maketh  men  to  be  of  one 
mind  in  a  house,  and  bring- 
eth  the  prisoners  out  of 
but  letteth  the 
continue  in 
scarceness  •». 

It  is  the  Lord  that  com- 
mandeth  the  waters,  it  is 
the  glorious  God  that 
maketh  the  thunder.  It  is 
the  Lord  that  ruleth  the 
sea :  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
is  mighty  in  operation  ;  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  is  a  glori- 
ous voice  «^. 

Let  all  the  earth  fear  the 
Lord  :  stand  in  awe  of  Him, 
all  ye  that  dwell  in  the 
world '1.  Thou  shalt  shew 
us  wonderful  things  in  Thy 
righteousness,  0  God  of  our 
salvation,  Thou  that  art  the 
hope  of  all  the  ends  of  the 
Earth,  and  of  them  that 
remain  in  the  broad  Sea^. 

Glory  be  to  the  Father, 
&c. 

Ps.  xxix.  3,  4. 


DEVOTIONS  rOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


39 


Or  this. 

0  Lord,  Thou  art  my  God, 
I  will  exalt  Thee:  I  will 
praise  Thy  Name,  for  Thou 
hast  done  wonderful  things  : 
Thy  counsels  of  old  are 
faithfulness  and  truths 

Thou  in  Thy  strength 
settest  fast  the  mountains, 
and  art  girded  ahout  with 
power.  Thou  stillest  the 
raging  of  the  sea,  and  the 
noise  of  his  waves,  and  the 
madness  of  the  people. 

They  also  that  remain  in 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  shall  be  afraid  at  Thy 
tokens  ;  Thou  that  makest 
the  out-goings  of  the  morn- 
ing and  evening  to  praise 
Thee?. 

0  Lord  God  of  Hosts, 
who  is  like  unto  Thee  1  Thy 
truth,  most  mighty  Lord,  is 
on  every  side'^.  Among 
the  gods  there  is  none  like 
unto  Thee ;  0  Lord,  there  is 
none  that  can  do  as  Thou 
doest.  For  Thou  art  great 
and  doest  wondrous  things ; 
Thou  art  God  alone ». 

God  is  very  greatly  to  be 
feared  in  the  counsel  of  the 
Saints,  and  to  be  had  in 
reverence  of  all  them  that 
are  round  about  him. 

Righteousness  and  equity 


is  in  the  habitation  of  Thy 
seat ;  mercy  and  truth  shall 
go  before  Thy  facei^.  Glory 
and  worship  are  before  Him  ; 
power  and  honour  are  in 
His  Sanctuary'. 

Thou,  Lord,  art  the  thing 
that  I  long  for ;  Thou  art 
my  hope  even  from  my 
youth.  Through  Thee  have 
I  been  holden  up  ever  since 
I  was  born  ;  Thou  art  He 
that  took  me  out  of  my 
mother's  womb  :  my  praise 
shall  be  always  of  Theera. 

Glory  be  to  the  Father, 
&c. 

H  After  this  may  be  read 
some  portion  of  holy 
Scripture  out  of  the 
New  Testament  or  out 
of  the  Sapiential  books 
of  the  Old,  viz.  Pro- 
verbs, Ecclesiastes,  &c. 
because  these  are  of 
great  use  to  piety  and 
to  civil  conversation. 
L^pon  which  when  you 
have  a  while  meditat- 
ed, humbly  composing 
yourself  upon  your 
knees,  say  as  foUoweth. 

Ejaculations. 

^ly  help  standeth  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  who  hath 
made  Heaven  and  Earth" . 


Isai.  XXV.  1. 
Ps.  Ixxxvi.  8,  9, 
Ps.  Ixxi.  4,  5. 


g  Ps.  Ixv.  6—8. 
k  Ps.  Ixxxix.  8,  15. 
■>  Ps.  cxxiv.  7. 


*"  Ps.  Ixxxix.  9. 
'  Ps.  xcvi.  6. 


40 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DAYS. 


Shew  the  light  of  Thy 
countenance  upon  Thy  ser- 
vant, and  I  shall  be  safe  °, 

Do  well,  0  Lord,  to  them 
that  be  true  of  heart?,  and 
evermore  mightily  defend 
them. 

Direct  me  in  Thy  truth 
and  teach  me,  for  Thou  art 
my  Saviour  "i  and  my  great 
Master. 

Keep  me  from  sin  and 
death  eternal,  and  from  my 
enemies  visible  and  invisi- 
ble. 

Give  me  grace  to  live  a 
holy  life,  and  Thy  favour 
that  I  may  die  a  godly  and 
happy  death. 

Lord,  hear  the  prayer  of 
Thy  servant,  and  give  me 
Thy  Holy  Spirit. 

The  Prayer. 

0  eternal  God,  merciful 
and  gracious,  vouchsafe  Thy 
favour  and  Thy  blessing  to 
Thy  servant :  let  the  love  of 
Thy  mercies  and  the  dread 
and  fear  of  Thy  Majesty 
make  me  carefid  and  inqui- 
sitive to  search  Thy  will, 
and  diligent  to  perform  it, 
and  to  persevere  in  the 
practices  of  a  holy  life,  even 
till  the  last  of  my  days. 

II.  Keep  me,  0  Lord,  for 
I   am   Thine   by   creation ; 


guide  me,  for  I  am  Thine  by 
purchase ;  Thou  hast  re- 
deemed me  by  the  blood  of 
Thy  Son  ;  and  love  me  with 
the  love  of  a  Father,  for  I 
am  Thy  child  by  adoption 
and  grace  :  let  Thy  mercy 
pardon  my  sins,  Thy  provi- 
dence secure  me  from  the 
punishments  and  evils  I 
have  deserved,  and  Thy  care 
watch  over  me,  that  I  may 
never  any  more  offend  Thee : 
make  me  in  malice  to  be  a 
child  ;  but  in  understand- 
ing, piety,  and  the  fear  of 
God,  let  me  be  a  perfect 
man  in  Christ,  innocent 
and  prudent,  readily  fur- 
nished and  instructed  to 
every  good  work. 

III.  Keep  me,  0  Lord, 
from  the  destroying  Angel, 
and  from  the  wrath  of 
God  :  let  Thy  anger  never 
rise  against  me,  but  Thy  rod 
gently  correct  my  follies, 
and  guide  me  in  Thy  ways, 
and  Thy  staff  support  me  in 
all  sufferings  and  changes. 
Preserve  me  from  fracture 
of  bones,  from  noisome  in- 
fections, and  sharp  sick- 
nesses, from  great  violences 
of  fortune  and  sudden  sur- 
prises :  keep  all  my  senses 
entire  till  the  day  of  my 
death,  and  let  my  death  be 
neither    sudden,   untimely, 


Ps.  Ixxx.  3. 


p  Ps.  cxxv.  4. 


<  Ps.  XXV.  4. 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


41 


nor  unprovided  :  let  it  be 
after  the  common  manner 
of  men,  having  in  it  nothing 
extraordinary,  but  an  ex- 
traordinary piety,  and  the 
manifestation  of  Thy  great 
and  miraculous  mercy. 

IV.  Let  no  riches  make 
me  ever  forget  myself,  no 
poverty  ever  make  me  to 
forget  Thee  :  Let  no  hope 
or  fear,  no  pleasure  or  pain, 
no  accident  without,  no 
weakness  within,  hinder  or 
discompose  my  duty,  or 
turn  me  from  the  ways  of 
Thy  Commandments.  0  let 
Thy  spirit  dwell  with  me 
for  ever,  and  make  my  Soul 
just  and  charitable,  full  of 
honesty,  full  of  Religion, 
resolute  and  constant  in 
holy  purposes,  but  inflexible 
to  evil.  Make  me  humble 
and  obedient,  peaceable  and 
pious  :  let  me  never  envy 
any  man's  good,  nor  deserve 
to  be  despised  myself:  and  if 
I  be,  teach  me  to  bear  it 
with  meekness  and  charity. 

V.  Give  me  a  tender  con- 
science ;  a  conversation  dis- 
creet and  aflable,  modest 
and  patient,  liberal  and 
obliging ;  a  body  chaste 
and  healthful,  competency 
of  living  according  to  my 
condition,  contentedness  in 
all  estates,  a  resigned 
will    and    mortified    afiec- 


tions :  that  I  may  be  as 
Thou  wouldst  have  me,  and 
my  portion  may  be  in  the 
lot  of  the  righteous,  in  the 
brightness  of  Thy  counten- 
ance, and  the  glories  of 
eternity.     Amen. 

Holy  is  our  God.  *  Holy 
is  the  Almighty.  *Holy  is 
the  Immortal.  *  Holy,  holy, 
holy,  Lord  God  of  Sabaoth, 
have  mercy  upon  me. 

A  form  of  Prater  for  the 
Evening,  to  be  said  hy 
such,  vjho  have  not  time  or 
opportunity  to  say  the 
public  Prayers  appointed 
for  this  office. 

Evening  Prayer. 

I.  0  eternal  God,  great 
Father  of  men  and  Angels, 
who  hast  established  the 
Heavens  and  the  Earth  in 
a  wonderful  order,  making 
day  and  night  to  succeed 
each  other  ;  I  make  my 
humble  address  to  Thy  Di- 
vine Majesty,  begging  of 
Thee  mercy  and  protection 
this  night  and  ever.  O 
Lord,  pardon  all  my  sins, 
my  light  and  rash  words, 
the  vanity  and  impiety  of 
my  thoughts,  my  unjust 
and  uncharitable  actions, 
and  whatsoever  I  have 
transgressed  against  Thee 
this  day,  or  at  any  time 
before.  "  Behold,  0  God,  my 


42 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


Soul  is  troubled  in  the  re- 
membrance of  my  sins,  in 
the  frailty  and  sinfulness 
of  my  flesh  exposed  to  every 
temptation,  and  of  itself 
not  able  to  resist  any.  Lord 
God  of  mercy,  I  earnestly 
beg  of  Thee  to  give  me  a 
great  portion  of  Thy  grace, 
such  as  may  be  sufficient 
and  effectual  for  the  morti- 
fication of  all  my  sins  and 
vanities  and  disorders :  that 
as  1  have  formerly  served 
my  lust  and  unworthy  de- 
sires, so  now  I  may  give 
myself  up  wholly  to  Thy 
service,  and  the  studies  of 
a  holy  life. 

II.  Blessed  Lord,  teach 
me  frequently  and  sadly  to 
remember  my  sins  ;  and  be 
Thou  pleased  to  remember 
them  no  more :  let  me 
never  forget  Thy  mercies, 
and  do  Thou  still  remember 
to  do  me  good.  Teach  me 
to  walk  always  as  in  Thy 
presence :  Ennoble  my  Soul 
with  great  degrees  of  love 
to  thee,  and  consign  my 
spirit  with  great  fear,  reli- 
gion, and  veneration  of  Thy 
holy  Name  and  laws  ;  that 
it  may  become  the  great 
employment  of  my  whole 
life  to  serve  Thee,  to  advance 
Thy  glory,  to  root  out  all 
the  accursed  habits  of  sin  ; 
that  in  holiness  of  life,  in 
humility,    in     charity,     in 


chastity  and  all  the  orna- 
ments of  grace,  I  may  by 
patience  wait  for  the  coming 
of  our  Lord  Jesus.  Amen. 

III.  Teach  me,  0  Lord, 
to  number  my  days,  that  I 
may  apply  my  heart  unto 
wisdom  ;  ever  to  remember 
my  last  end,  that  I  may  not 
dare  to  sin  against  Thee. 
Let  Thy  holy  Angels  be  ever 
present  with  me  to  keep  me 
in  all  my  ways  from  the 
malice  and  violence  of  the 
spirits  of  darkness,  from 
evil  company,  and  the  occa- 
sions and  opportunities  of 
evil,  from  perishing  in  po- 
pular judgments,  from  all 
the  ways  of  sinful  shame, 
from  the  hands  of  all  mim 
enemies,  from  a  sinful  life 
and  from  despair  in  the 
day  of  my  death.  Then,  0 
brightest  Jesu,  shine  glori- 
ously upon  me,  let  Thy  mer- 
cies and  the  light  of  Thy 
countenance  sustain  me  in 
all  my  agonies,  weaknesses, 
and  temptations.  Give  me 
opportunity  of  a  prudent 
and  spiritual  Guide,  and  of 
receiving  the  holy  Sacra- 
ment ;  and  let  Thy  loving 
Spirit  so  guide  me  in  the 
ways  of  peace  and  safety, 
that,  with  the  testimony  of 
a  good  conscience  and  the 
sense  of  Thy  mercies  and 
refreshment,  I  may  depart 
this  life  in  the  unity  of  the 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DAYS. 


43 


Church,  in  the  love  of  God, 
and  a  certain  hope  of  salva- 
tion through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord  and  most  blessed 
Saviour.  Amen. 
Our  Father,  &c. 

Another  form  of  Evening 
Prayer  luhich'may  also  be 
used  at  hed-time. 

Our  Father,  &c. 

I  will  lift  up  my  eyes 
unto  the  hills',  from  whence 
Cometh  my  help. 

My  help  cometh  of  the 
Lord,  which  made  Heaven 
and  earth. 

He  will  not  suffer  thy 
foot  to  be  moved  :  He  that 
keepeth  thee  will  not  slum- 
ber. 

Behold,  He  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber 
nor  sleep. 

The  Lord  is  thy  keeper, 
the  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon 
thy  right  hand. 

The  sun  shall  not  smite 
thee  by  day,  neither  the 
moon  by  night. 

The  Lord  shall  preserve 
thee  from  all  evil ;  He  shall 
preserve  thy  Soul. 

The  Lord  shall  preserve 
thy  going  out  and  thy  com- 
ing in,  from  this  time  forth 
for  evermore. 

Glory  be  to  the  Father, 


kQ 


1.  Visit,  I  beseech  Thee, 
0  Lord,  this  habitation  with 
Thy  mercy,  and  me  with 
Thy  grace  and  salvation. 
Let  Thy  holy  Angels  pitch 
their  tents  round  about  and 
dwell  here,  that  no  illusion 
of  the  night  may  abuse  me, 
the  spirits  of  darkness  may 
not  come  near  to  hurt  me, 
no  evil  or  sad  accident  op- 
press me  ;  and  let  the  eter- 
nal Spirit  of  the  Father 
dwell  in  my  Soul  and  body, 
filling  every  corner  of  my 
heart  with  light  and  grace. 
Let  no  deed  of  darkness 
overtake  me  ;  and  let  Thy 
blessing,  most  blessed  God, 
be  upon  me  for  ever,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 
Ameii. 

II.  Into  Thy  hands,  most 
blessed  Jesu,  I  commend 
my  Soul  and  body,  for  Thou 
hast  redeemed  both  with 
Thy  most  precious  blood. 
So  bless  and  sanctify  my 
sleep  unto  me,  that  it  may 
be  temperate,  holy  and  safe, 
a  refreshment  to  my  wearied 
body,  to  enable  it  so  to 
serve  my  Soul,  that  both 
may  serve  Thee  with  a  never- 
failing  duty.  0  let  me 
never  sleep  in  sin  or  death 
eternal,  but  give  me  a 
watchful  and  a  prudent 
spirit,  that  I  may  omit  no 
opportunity  of  serving  Thee; 


Ps.  cxxi.  1,  &c. 


44 


l/EVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINAKT  DAYS. 


that  whether  I  sleep  or 
wake,  live  or  die,  I  may  be 
Thy  servant  and  Thy  child  : 
that  when  the  work  of  my 
life  is  done,  I  may  rest  in 
the  bosom  of  my  Lord,  till 
by  the  voice  of  the  Arch- 
angel, the  trump  of  God,  I 
shall  be  awakened  and 
called  to  sit  down  and  feast 
in  the  eternal  supper  of  the 
Lamb.  Grant  this,  0  Lamb 
of  God,  for  the  honour  ol 
Thy  mercies,  and  the  glory 
of  Thy  name,  0  most  mer- 
ciful Saviovir  and  Redeemer 
Jesus.     Amen. 

III.  Blessed  be  the  God 
and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus,  who  hath  sent  His 
Angels,  and  kept  me  this 
day  from  the  destruction 
that  walketh  at  noon,  and 
the  arrow  that  flieth  by 
day ;  and  hath  given  me 
His  Spirit  to  restrain  me 
from  those  evils  to  which 
my  own  weaknesses,  and 
my  evil  habits,  and  my  un- 
quiet enemies  would  easily 
betray  me.  Blessed  and 
for  ever  hallowed  be  Thy 
name  for  that  never-ceasing 
shower  of  blessing,  by  which 
I  live,  and  am  content  and 
blessed,  and  provided  for  in 
all  necessities,  and  set  for- 
ward in  my  duty  and  way 
to  heaven.  Blessing,  hon- 
our,  glory   and   power    be 


unto  Him  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb, 
for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

Holy  is  our  God.  *  Holy 
is  the  Almighty.  *Holy  is 
the  Immortal.  *  Holy,  holy, 
holy,  Lord  God  of  Sabaoth, 
have  mercy  upon  me. 

Ejaculations  and  short  nie- 
ditations  to  he  used  in  the 
Night  lohen  we  wake. 

Stand  in  awe  and  sin  not : 
commune  with  your  own 
heart  upon  your  bed,  and 
be  still.  I  will  lay  me  down 
in  peace  and  sleep :  for 
Thou,  Lord,  only  makest  me 
to  dwell  in  safety  s, 

0  Father  of  Spirits,  and 
the  God  of  all  flesh,  have 
mercy  and  pity  upon  a]l 
sick  and  dying  Christians, 
and  receive  the  Souls  which 
Thou  hast  redeemed  return- 
ing unto  Thee. 

Blessed  are  they  that 
dwell  in  the  heavenly  Jeru- 
salem, where  there  is  no 
need  of  the  sun,  neither  of 
the  moon  to  shine  in  it : 
for  the  glory  of  God  does 
lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is 
the  light  thereof'.  And 
there  shall  be  no  night 
there,  and  they  need  no 
candle;  for  the  Lord  God 
giveth  them  light,  and  they 
shall    reign   for   ever    and 


»  Ps.  iv.  4,  9. 


Rev.  xxi.  23. 


"  Rev.  xxii.  5. 


DEVOTIONS  FOB  ORDINARY  DATS. 


45 


Meditate  on  t/acoS's  wrest- 
ling with  the  Angel  all 
night :  be  thou  also  impor- 
tunate with  God  for  a  bless- 
ing, and  give  not  over  till 
He  hath  blessed  thee. 

Meditate  on  the  Angel 
passing  over  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  destroying  the 
Eqyptians  for  disobedience 
and  oppression.  Pray  for 
the  grace  of  obedience  and 
charity,  and  for  the  Divine 
protection. 

Meditate  on  the  Angel 
who  destroyed  in  a  night 
the  whole  army  of  the  As- 
syrians for  fornication.  Call 
to  mind  the  sins  of  thy 
youth,  the  sins  of  thy  bed  ; 
and  say  with  David,  My 
reitis  chasten  me  in  the 
night  season,  and  ony  Soid 
refuseth  comfort.  Pray  for 
pardon,  and  the  grace  of 
chastity. 

Meditate  on  the  agonies 
of  Christ  in  the  garden.  His 
sadness  and  affliction  all 
that  night  ;  and  thank  and 
adore  Him  for  His  love  that 
made  Him  suffer  so  much 
for  thee  ;  and  hate  thy  sins 
which  made  it  necessary  for 
the  Son  of  God  to  suffer  so 
much. 

Meditate  on  the  four  last 
things.  1.  The  certainty  of 
Death.  2.  The  terrors  of 
the  day  of  Judgment.     3. 


The  joys  of  Heaven.  4.  The 
pains  of  Hell  ;  and  the 
eternity  of  both. 

Think  upon  all  thy  friends 
which  are  gone  before  thee, 
and  pray  that  God  would 
grant  to  thee  to  meet  them 
in  a  joyful  resurrection. 

The  day  of  the  Lord  will 
come  as  a  thief  in  the  night  ^, 
in  the  which  the  heavens 
shall  pass  away  with  a  great 
noise,  and  the  elements 
shall  melt  with  fervent  heat, 
the  earth  also  and  the  works 
that  are  therein  shall  be 
burnt  up.  Seeing  then  that 
all  these  things  shall  be 
dissolved,  what  manner  of 
persons  ought  we  to  be  in 
all  holy  conversation  and 
godliness,  looking  for  and 
hastening  unto  the  coming 
of  the  day  of  God  % 

Lord,  in  mercy  remember 
Thy  servant  in  the  day  of 
Judgment. 

Thou  shalt  answer  for 
me,  0  Lord  my  God.  In 
Thee,  0  Lord,  have  I  trusted  : 
let  me  never  be  confounded. 
Amen. 

^  I  desire  the  Christian 
Reader  to  observe,  that 
all  these  offices  or  forms 
of  Prayer  (if  they 
should  be  used  every 
day)  would  not  spend 
above   an    hour   and  a 


»  2  Pet.  iii.  10—12. 


46 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


half:  but  because  some 
of  them  are  double 
(and  so  but  one  of 
them  to  be  used  in  one 
day)  it  is  much  less : 
and  by  affording  to 
God  one  hour  in  twenty- 
four,  thou  mayest  have 
the  comforts  and  re- 
wards of  devotion.  But 
he  that  thinks  this  is 
too  much,  either  is  very 
busy  in  the  world,  or 
.  very  careless  of  heaven. 
However,  I  have  parted 
the  Prayers  into 
smaller  portions ;  that 
he  may  use  which  and 
how  many  he  please  in 
any  one  of  the  forms. 

Ad  Sect.  2. 
A  Prayer  fo  r  h  oly  intention 
in    the     beginning    and 
pursuit  of  any  consider- 
able   action;   as    Study, 
Freachiiig,  djc. 
0  eternal  God,  who  hast 
made    all   things  for   man, 
and    man    for    Thy   glory, 
sanctify  my  body  and  Soul, 
my  thoughts  and  my  inten- 
tions, my  words  and  actions, 
that    whatsoever     I     shall 
think,  or  speak,  or  do,  may 
be  by  me  designed  to  the 
glorification  of  Thy  Name, 
and  by  Thy  blessing  it  may 
be  effective  and   successful 
in  the  work  of  God,  accord- 
ing as  it   can   be  capable. 


Lord,  turn  my  necessities 
into  virtue;  the  works  of 
nature  into  the  works  of 
grace  ;  by  making  them  or- 
derly, regular,  temperate, 
subordinate  and  profitable 
to  ends  beyond  their  own 
proper  efficacy  :  and  let  no 
pride  or  self-seeking,  no 
covetousness  or  revenge,  no 
impure  mixture  or  unhand- 
some purposes,  no  little  ends 
and  low  imaginations  pol- 
lute my  spirit,  and  unhal- 
low  any  of  my  words  and 
actions :  but  let  my  body 
be  a  servant  of  my  spirit, 
and  both  body  and  spirit 
servants  of  Jesus;  that, 
doing  all  things  for  Thy 
glory  here,  I  may  be  par- 
taker of  Thy  glory  hereafter, 
through  Jesus  Christ  oiu* 
Lord.     Amen. 

Ad  Sect.  3. 

A  Prayer  meditating  and 
referring  to  the  Divine 
^presence. 

%  This  Prayer  is  speci- 
ally to  be  used  in  temp- 
tation to  private  sins. 

0  Almighty  God,  infinite 
I  and  eternal,  Thou  fillest  all 
\  things  with  Thy  presence ; 
j  Thou  art  everywhere  by  Thy 
i  essence  and  by  Thy  power, 
j  in  hea^^en  by  glory,  in  holy 
!  places  by  Thy  grace  and 
I  favour,  in  the  hearts  of  Thy 


DEVOTIONS  FOR  ORDINARY  DATS. 


servants  by  Thy  Spirit,  in 
the  consciences  of  all  men 
by  Thy  testimony  and  ob- 
servation of  us.  Teach  me 
to  walk  always  as  in  Thy 
presence,  to  fear  Thy  Ma- 
jesty, to  reverence  Thy  wis- 
dom and  omniscience,  that 
I  may  never  dare  to  commit 
any  indecency  in  the  eye  of 
my  Lord   and  my  Judge ; 


but  that  I  may  with  so 
much  care  and  reverence 
demean  myself,  that  my 
Judge  may  not  be  my  ac- 
cuser, but  my  Advocate ; 
that  I,  expressing  the  belief 
of  Thy  presence  here  by 
careful  walking,  may  feel 
the  effects  of  it  in  the  par- 
ticipation of  eternal  glory, 
throuo-h  Jesus  Christ.  A  men. 


CHAP.  II. 

OF  CHRISTIAN  SOBRIETY. 


Sect.  I. 

Of  Sobriety  in  the  general  sense. 


Christian  Religion  in  all 
its  moral  parts  is  nothing 
else  but  the  Law  of  Nature, 
and  great  Reason,  com- 
plying with  the  great  ne- 
cessities of  all  the  world, 
and  promoting  the  great 
profit  of  all  relations,  and 
carrying  us  through  all  ac- 
cidents of  variety  of  chances 
to  that  end,  which  God  hath 
from  eternal  ages  purposed 
for  all  that  live  according 
to  it,  and  which  He  hath 
revealed  in  Jesus  Christ : 
and  according  to  the  Apo- 
stle's Arithmetic  hath  but 
these    three    parts    of    it ; 

1.  Sobriety,  2.  Justice,  3. 
Religion.  For  the  grace  of 
God  bringing  salvation  hath 
apinared  to  all  men,  teach- 
ing us  that,  de7iging  ti7i- 
godliness  and  'worldly  lusts, 
v)e  should  live,    1.  Soherly, 

2.  Righteously,  and  3.  Godly 


in  this  present  world,  look- 
ing for  that  blessed  hope  and 
glorious  aj)pearing  of  the 
great  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  The  first  con- 
tains all  our  deportment  in 
our  personal  and  private 
capacities,  the  fair  treating 
of  our  bodies  and  our  spirits. 
The  second  enlarges  our  duty 
in  all  relations  to  our  Neigh- 
bour. The  third  contains 
the  offices  of  direct  Reli- 
gion, and  intercourse  with 
God. 

Christian  Sobriety  is  all 
that  duty  that  concerns  our- 
selves in  the  matter  of  rneat 
and  drink  und  pleasures  Sind. 
thoughts  ;  and  it  hath  with- 
in it  the  duties  of  1,  Tem- 
perance, 2.  Chastity,  3.  Jltc- 
mility,  4.  Modesty,  5.  Con- 
tent. 

It  is  a  using  severity, 
denial    and    frustration  of 


CHRISTIAN  SOBKIETY. 


49 


our  appetite,  when  it  grows 
unreasonable  in  any  of  these 
instances :  the  necessity  of 
which  we  shall  to  best  pur- 
pose understand  by  con- 
sidering the  evil  conse- 
quences of  sensuality,  ef- 
feminacy, or  fondness  after 
carnal  pleasures. 

Evil  consequents  of  Volup- 
tuousness or  Sensuality. 

1 .  A  longing  after  sensual 
pleasures  is  a  dissolution  of 
the  spirit  of  a  man,  and 
makes  it  loose,  soft,  and 
wandering,  unapt  for  noble, 
wise,  or  spiritual  employ- 
ments :  because  the  prin- 
ciples, upon  which  pleasure 
is  chosen  and  pursued,  are 
sottish,  weak,  and  unlearned ; 
such  as  prefer  the  body 
before  the  Soul,  the  ap- 
petite before  reason,  sense 
before  the  spirit,  the  plea- 
sures of  a  short  abode  be- 
fore the  pleasures  of  eter- 
nity. 

2.  The  nature  of  sensual 
pleasure  is  vain,  empty  and 
unsatisfying ;  biggest  al- 
ways in  expectation,  and 
a  mere  vanity  in  the  enjoy- 
ing, and  leaves  a  sting  and 
thorn  behind  it  when  it 
goes  oiF.  Our  laughing,  if 
it  be  loud  and  high,  com- 
monly ends  in  a  deep  sigh ; 
and    all    the    instances   of 

a  1  Cor. 
D 


pleasure  have  a  sting  in 
the  tail,  though  they  carry 
beauty  on  the  face  and 
sweetness  on  the  lip. 

3.  Sensual  pleasure  is  a 
great  abuse  to  the  spirit  of 
a  man,  being  a  kind  of 
fascination  or  witchcraft 
blinding  the  understanding 
and  enslaving  the  will. 
And  he  that  knows  he  is 
free-born  or  redeemed  with 
the  blood  of  the  Son  of 
God,  will  not  easily  suffer 
the  freedom  of  his  Soul  to 
be  entangled  and  rifled. 

4.  It  is  most  contrary  to 
the  state  of  a  Christian ; 
whose  life  is  a  perpetual 
exercise,  a  wrestling  and 
warfare  ;  to  which  sensual 
pleasure  disables  him,  by 
yielding  to  that  enemy  with 
whom  he  must  strive  if 
ever  he  will  be  crowned. 
And  this  argument  the 
Apostle  intimated  a  :  He  that 
striveth  for  masteries  is 
teiwperate  in  all  things : 
Noio  they  do  it  to  obtain 
a  corrwptible  crown,  but  we 
an  incorruptible. 

5.  It  is  by  a  certain  con- 
sequence the  greatest  im- 
pediment in  the  world  to 
martyrdom :  that  being  a 
fondness,  this  being  a 
cruelty,  to  the  flesh ;  to 
which  a  Christian  man  ar- 
riving by  degTees  must  first 

ix.  25. 


60 


CHRISTIAN  SOBRIETY. 


have  crucified  the  lesser 
affections:  for  he  that  is 
overcome  by  little  argu- 
ments of  pain  will  hardly 
consent  to  lose  his  life 
with  torments. 

Degrees  of  Sobriety. 
Against  this  Voluptuous- 
ness Sobriety  is  opposed  in 
three  degrees. 

1.  A  despite  or  disaf- 
fection to  pleasures,  or  a 
resolving  against  all  enter- 
tainment of  the  instances 
and  temptations  of  sen- 
suality :  and  it  consists  in 
the  internal  faculties  of  will 
and  understanding  decree- 
ing and  declaring  against 
them,  disapproving  and  dis- 
liking them,  upon  good 
reason  and  strong  resolu- 
tion. 

2.  A  fight  and  actual  war 
against  all  the  temptations 
and  offers  of  sensual  plea- 
sure in  all  evil  instances 
and  degrees  :  and  it  con- 
sists in  prayer,  in  fasting, 
in  cheap  diet,  and  hard 
lodging,  and  laborious  exer- 
cises, and  avoiding  occa- 
sions, and  using  all  arts 
and  industry  of  fortifying 
the  Spirit,  and  making  it 
severe,  manly,  and  Chris- 
tian. 

3.  Spiritual  pleasure  is 
the  highest  degree   of  So-  ! 

^  Apoc 


hriety :  and  in  the  fame 
degree  in  which  we  relish 
and  are  in  love  with  spiri- 
tual delights,  the  hidden 
Manna^.,  with  the  sweet- 
nesses of  devotion,  with  the 
joys  of  thanksgiving,  with 
rejoicings  in  the  Lord,  with 
the  comforts  of  hope,  v/ith 
the  deliciousness  of  charity 
and  alms-deeds,  with  the 
sweetness  of  a  good  con- 
science, with  the  peace  of 
meekness,  and  the  felicities 
of  a  contented  Spirit ;  in 
the  same  degree  we  dis- 
relish and  loathe  the  husks 
of  swinish  lusts,  and  the 
parings  of  the  apples  of 
Sodoon ;  and  the  taste  of 
sinful  pleasures  is  unsavoury 
as  the  drunkard's  vomit. 

Rules  for  siipijressing   Yo- 
luptuousness. 

The  precepts  and  advices, 
which  are  of  best  and  of 
general  use  in  the  curing 
of  sensuality,  are  these  : 

1.  Accustom  thyself  to 
cut  off  all  superfluity  in 
the  provisions  of  thy  life  ; 
for  our  desires  will  enlarge 
beyond  the  present  posses- 
sion so  long  as  all  the 
things  of  this  world  are 
unsatisfying :  if  therefore 
you  suffer  them  to  extend 
beyond  the  measures  of 
necessity  or  moderated  con- 
ii.  17. 


CHRISTIAN  SOBRIETY. 


51 


veniency,  they  will  still 
swell :  but  you  reduce  them 
to  a  little  compass,  when 
you  make  nature  to  be  your 
limit.  "We  must  more  take 
care  that  our  desires  should 
cease'',  than  that  they 
should  be  satisfied :  and 
therefore  reducing  them  to 
narrow  scantlings  and  small 
proportions  is  the  best  in- 
strument to  redeem  their 
trouble,  and  prevent  the 
dropsy,  because  that  is  next 
to  an  universal  denying 
them :  it  is  certainly  a 
paring  off  from  them  all 
unreasonableness  and  ir- 
regularity. For  whatso- 
ever covets  unseemly  things, 
and  is  apt  to  swell  to  an 
inconvenient  hulk,  is  to  he 
chastened  and  tempered : 
and  such  are  sensuality,  and 
a  hoy"",  said  the  Philoso- 
pher. 

2.  Suppress  your  sensual 
desires  in  their  first  ap- 
proach'^ ;  for  then  they  are 
least,  and  thy  faculties  and 
election  are  stronger  :  but 
if  they  in  their  weakness 
prevail  upon  thy  strengths, 
there  will  be  no  resisting 
them  when  they  are  in- 
creased, and  thy  abili- 
ties lessened.  You  shall 
scarce  ohtain  of  them  to 
end,  if  you  suffer  them  to 
hegin. 

^  Seneca.       "^  [Aristotle]   Lib.  iii, 


3.  Divert  them  with  some 
laudable  employment,  and 
take  off  their  edge  by  inad- 
vertency, or  a  not  attend- 
ing to  them.  For  since 
the  faculties  of  a  man  can- 
not at  the  same  time  with 
any  sharpness  attend  to  two 
objects  ;  if  you  employ  your 
spirit  upon  a  book  or  a 
bodily  labour,  or  any  in- 
nocent and  indifferent  em- 
ployment, you  have  no  room 
left  for  the  present  trouble 
ofa  sensual  temptation.  For 
to  this  sense  it  was  that 
Alexander  told  the  Queen 
of  Caria,  that  his  tutor 
Leonidas  had  provided  two 
cooks  for  him,  "  Hard 
marches  all  night,  and  a 
small  dinner  the  next 
day."  these  tamed  his 
youthful  aptnesses  to  dis- 
solution, so  long  as  he  ate 
of  their  provisions. 

4.  Look  upon  pleasures 
not  upon  that  side  that  is 
next  the  sun,  or  where 
they  look  beauteously  ;  that 
is,  as  they  come  to- 
wards you  to  be  enjoyed  ; 
for  then  they  paint,  and 
smile,  and  dress  themselves 
up  in  tinsel  and  glass, 
gems  and  counterfeit  ima- 
gery :  but  when  thou  hast 
rifled  and  discomposed  them 
with  enjoying  their  false 
beauties,  and  that  they  be- 

Eth.  cap.  12.  "i  Seneoa,  Ep.  86. 


52 


CHRISTIAN  SOBRIETY. 


gin  to  go  off,  then  behold 
them  iu  their  nakedness 
and  weariness*.  See  what 
a  sigh  and  sorrow,  what 
naked  unhandsome  propor- 
tions and  a  filthy  carcase 
they  discover  ;  and  the  next 
time  they  counterfeit,  re- 
member what  you  have 
already  discovered,  and  be 
no  more  abused.  And  I 
have  known  some  wise 
persons  have  advised  to 
cure  the  passions  and  long- 
ings of  their  children  by 
letting  them  taste  of  every 
thing  they  passionately  fan- 
cied ;  for  they  should  be 
sure  to  find  less  in  it  than 
they  looked  for,  and  the 
impatience  of  their  being 
denied  would  be  loosened 
and  made  slack  :  and  when 
our  wishings  are  no  bigger 
than  the  thing  deserves, 
and  our  usages  of  them 
according  to  our  needs, 
(which  may  be  obtained 
by  trying  what  they  are, 
and  what  good  they  can 
do  us),  we  shall  find  in  all 
pleasures  so  little  enter- 
tainment, that  the  vanity 
of  the  possession  will  soon 
reprove  the  violence  of  the 
appetite.  And  if  this  per- 
mission be  in  innocent  in- 
stances, it  may  be  of  good 
use  :  But  Solomon  tried  it 


in  all  things,  taking  his  fill 
of  all  pleasures,  and  soon 
grew  weary  of  them  all. 
The  same  thing  we  may 
do  by  reason,  which  we  do 
by  experience  ;  if  either  we 
will  look  upon  pleasures  as 
we  are  sure  they  look  when 
they  go  off,  after  their  enjoy- 
ment ;  or  if  we  will  credit 
the  experience  of  those  men 
who  have  tasted  them  and 
loathed  them. 

5.  Often  consider  and 
contemplate  the  joys  of 
Heaven  ;  that,  when  they 
have  filled  thy  desires  which 
are  the  sails  of  the  Soul, 
thou  mayest  steer  only 
thither,  and  never  more 
look  back  to  Sodoku.  And 
when  thy  Soul  dwells 
above,  and  looks  down 
upon  the  pleasures  of  the 
World,  they  seem  like 
things  at  distance,  little 
and  contemptible,  and  men 
running  after  the  satisfac- 
tion of  their  sottish  appe- 
tites seem  foolish  as  fishes, 
thousands  of  them  running 
after  a  rotten  worm  that 
covers  a  deadly  hook ;  or, 
at  the  best,  but  like  chil- 
dren with  great  noise  pur- 
suing a  bubble  rising  from 
a  walnut-shell,  which  ends 
sooner  than  the  noise 

6.  To  this,  the  example 


*  Voluptates   abeuntes  fessas  et  poenitenti^  plenas  animis  nostris  na- 
tura  subjecit,  quo  minus  cupid^  repetantur.    Seneca. 


OF  TEMPERANCE  i:^I  EATING. 


53 


of  Christ  and  His  Apostles, 
of  2{os3s  and  all  the  wise 
men  of  all  ages  of  the  world, 
will  much  help ;  who,  un- 
derstanding how  to  dis- 
tinguish good  from  evil, 
did  choose  a  sad  and  me- 


lancholy way  to  felicity, 
rather  than  the  broad, 
pleasant,  and  easy  path  to 
folly  and  misery. 

But  this  is  but  the  ge- 
neral. Its  first  particular 
is  Temperance. 


Sect.  II. 

Of  Temperance  in  Eating  and  Drinking. 


Sobriety  is  the  bridle  of 
the  passions  of  desii-e,  and 
Temperance  is  the  bit  and 
curb  of  that  bridle,  a  re- 
straint put  into  a  man's 
mouth,  a  moderate  use  of 
meat  and  drink,  so  as  may 
best  consist  with  our  health, 
and  may  not  hinder  but 
help  the  works  of  the  Soul 
by  its  necessary  supporting 
us,  and  ministering  cheer- 
fulness and  refreshment. 

Temperance  consists  in 
the  actions  of  the  Soul  prin- 
cipally :  for  it  is  a  grace 
that  chooses  natural  means 
in  order  to  proper  and  na,- 
tm-al  and  holy  ends :  it  is 
exercised  about  eating  and 
drinking  because  they  are 
necessary  ;  but  therefore  it 
permits  the  use  of  them 
only  as  they  minister  to 
lawful  ends  ;  it  does  not  eat 
and  drink  for  pleasure,  but 
for  need  ;  and  for  refresh- 
ment, which  is  a  part  or  a 
degree  of  need.  I  deny  not 
but    eating    and    drinking 


may  he,  and  in  healthful 
bodies  always  is,  with  plea- 
sure ;  because  there  is  in 
nature  no  greater  pleasure 
than  that  all  the  appetites 
which  God  hath  made  should 
be  satisfied  :  and  a  man 
may  choose  a  morsel  that  is 
pleasant,  the  less  pleasant 
being  rejected  as  being  less 
useful,  less  apt  to  nourish, 
or  more  agreeing  v/ith  an 
infirm  stomach,  or  when  the 
day  is  festival  by  order  or 
by  private  joy.  In  all  these 
cases  it  is  permitted  to  re- 
ceive a  more  free  delight, 
and  to  design  it  too,  as  the 
less  principal :  that  is,  that 
the  chief  reason,  why  we 
choose  the  more  delicious, 
be  the  serving  that  end  for 
which  such  refreshments 
and  choices  are  permitted. 
But  when  delight  is  the 
only  end,  and  rests  itself, 
and  dwells  there  long,  then 
eating  and  drinking  is  not 
a  serving  of  God,  but  an  in- 
ordinate action  :  because  it 


54 


OF  TEMPERANCE  IN  EATING. 


is  not  in  the  way  to  that 
end  whither  God  directed 
it.  But  the  choosing  of  a 
delicate  before  a  more  ordi- 
nary dish  is  to  be  done  as 
other  human  actions  are  in 
which  there  are  no  degrees 
and  precise  natural  limits 
described,  but  a  latitude  is 
indulged  ;  it  must  be  done 
moderately,  prudently,  and 
according  to  the  accounts 
of  wise,  religious,  and  sober 
men :  and  then  God,  who 
gave  us  such  variety  of 
creatures,  and  our  choice  to 
use  which  we  will,  may  re- 
ceive glory  from  our  tempe- 
rate use  and  thanksgiving ; 
and  we  may  use  them  in- 
differently without  scruple 
and  a  making  them  to  be- 
come snares  to  us  either  by 
too  licentious  and  studied 
use  of  them  or  too  restrained 
and  scrupulous  fear  of  using 
them  at  all  but  in  such  cer- 
tain circumstances  in  which 
no  man  can  be  sure  he  is 
not  mistaken. 

But  Temperance  in  meat 
and  drink  is  to  be  estimated 
by  the  follov/ing  Measures. 

Measures  of  Temperance  in 
Eating. 
1.  Eat  not  before  the  time; 
unless  necessity,  or  charity, 
or  any  intervening  accident, 
which  may  make  it  reason- 
able  and   prudent,    should 


happen.  Remember  it  had 
almost  cost  Jonathan  his 
life,  because  he  tasted  a  lit- 
tle honey  before  the  sun 
went  down,  contrary  to  the 
King's  commandment ;  and 
although  a  great  need, 
which  he  had,  excused  him 
from  the  sin  of  gluttony  ; 
yet  it  is  inexcusable  when 
thou  eatest  before  the  usual 
time,  and  thrustest  thy 
hand  into  the  dish  unsea- 
sonably, out  of  greediness 
of  the  pleasure,  and  impa- 
tience of  the  delay. 

2.  Eat  not  hastily  and 
imimtiently  ;  but  v/ith  such 
decent  and  timely  action, 
that  your  eating  be  a  hu- 
man act,  subject  to  delibe- 
ration and  choice,  and  that 
you  may  consider  in  the 
eating :  whereas  he  that 
eats  hastily,  cannot  consider 
particularly  of  the  circum- 
stances, degrees,  and  little 
accidents  and  chances  that 
happen  in  his  meal ;  but 
may  contract  many  little 
indecencies,  and  be  sud- 
denly surprised. 

3.  Eat  not  delicately,  or 
nicely;  that  is,  be  not 
troublesome  to  thyself  or 
others  in  the  choice  of  thy 
meats,  or  the  delicacy  of 
thy  sauces.  It  was  imputed 
as  a  sin  to  the  sons  of  Israel, 
that  they  loathed  Manna 
and   lonsred  for  flesh :    the 


OF  TEMPERANCE  IN  EATING. 


53 


Quails  stuck  in  their  nos- 
trils^ and  the  wrath  of  God 
fell  upon  theraK  And  for 
the  manner  of  dressing,  the 
sons  of  Eli  were  noted  of 
indiscreet  curiosity  :  they 
would  not  have  the  flesh 
boiled,  but  raw,  that  they 
might  roast  it  with  fire^. 
Isot  that  it  was  a  sin  to  eat 
it,  or  desire  meat  roasted ; 
but  that  when  it  was  ap- 
pointed to  be  boiled,  they 
refused  it :  which  declared 
an  intemperate  and  a  nice 
palate.  It  is  lawful  in  all 
senses  to  comply  with  a 
weak  and  a  nice  stomach  : 
but  not  with  a  nice  and 
curious  palate.  When  our 
health  requires  it,  that 
ought  to  be  provided  for ; 
but  not  so  our  sensuality 
and  intemperate  longings. 
Whatsoever  is  set  before  you, 
eat  i» ;  if  it  be  provided  for 
you,  you  may  eat  it,  be  it 
never  so  delicate ;  and  be  it 
plain  and  common,  so  it  be 
wholesome  and  fit  for  you, 
it  must  not  be  refused  upon 
ciu-iosity :  for  every  degTee 
of  that  is  a  degree  of  in- 
temperance. Happy  and 
innocent  were  the  ages  of 
our  forefathers,  who  ate 
herbs  and  parched  corn, 
and  drank  the  pui-e  stream, 


and  broke  their  fast  with 
nuts  and  roots ' ;  and  when 
they  were  permitted  flesh, 
ate  it  only  dressed  with 
hunger  and  fire;  and  the 
first  sauce  they  had  was 
bitter  herbs,  and  sometimes 
bread  dipped  in  vinegar.  But, 
in  this  circumstance,  mode- 
ration is  to  be  reckoned  in 
proportion  to  the  present 
customs,  to  the  company,  to 
education,  and  the  judgment 
of  honest  and  wise  persons, 
and  the  necessities  of  nature. 
4.  Eat  not  too  much : 
load  neither  thy  stomach 
nor  thy  understanding.  If 
thou  sit  at  a  bountiful  table, 
be  not  greedy  upon  it;  and 
say  not,  There  is  much  meat 
on  it.  Remember  that  a 
wiclced  eye  is  an  evil  thing : 
and  what  is  created  more 
wicked  than  an  eye  ?  There- 
fore it  weepeth  upon  every 
occasion.  Stretch  not  thy 
hand  whithersoever  it  look- 
eih,  and  thrust  it  not  with 
him  into  the  dish.  A  very  lit- 
tle is  sufficient  for  a  num  well 
nurtured,  and  hefetcheth  not 
his  wind  short  uponhis  bed^. 


Signs  and  effects  of 
Tempera'iice. 
We  shall  best  know  that 
we  have  the  grace  of  Tem- 


Num.  xi.  19,  20,  32,  33.  g  1  Sam.  ii.  15,  17. 

1  Cor.  X.  27  ;  Luke  x.  8.      ^  Boeth.  lib.  i.  de  consol.;  Ov.  M.  i.  104. 

Eeclus.  xxxi,  12,  13,  14,  19. 


se 


OP  TEMPERANCE  IN  EATING. 


perance  "by  the  following 
signs,  which  are  as  so  many 
arguments  to  engage  us 
also  upon  its  study  and 
practice. 

1.  A  Temperate  man  is 
modest :  greediness  is  un- 
mannerly and  rude.  And 
this  is  intimated  in  the  ad- 
vice of  the  son  of  Sirach\ 
'^Vhen  thou  sittest  amongst 
majiy,  reach  not  thy  hand 
out  first  of  all.  Leave  of 
first  for  manners  sahe,  and 
be  not  uiuatiahle,  lest  thou 
offend.  *2.  Temperance  is 
accompanied  with  gravity 
of  deportment :  greediness 
is  garish,  and  rejoices  loosely 
at  the  sight  of  dainties. 
*3.  Sound,  but  moderate, 
sleep  is  its  sign  and  its 
efiect.  Sound  sleep  cometh 
of  moderate  eating.,  he  riseth 
earhj  and  his  wits  are  with 
him"".  *4.  A  spiritual  joy 
and  a  devout  prayer.  *5. 
A  suppressed  and  seldom 
anger.  *6.  A  command  of 
our  thoughts  and  passions. 
*  7.  A  seldom-returning,  and 
a  never-prevailing  tempta- 
tion. *8,  To  which  add, 
that  a  Temperate  person  is 
not  curious  of  fancies  and 
deliciousness.  He  thinks 
not  much,  and  speaks  not 
often,  of  meat  and  drink  ; 
hath  a  healthful  body  and 
long  life,  unless  it  be  hin- 

»  Ecclus   xxxi.  18,  17.      »  lb.  20. 


dered  by   some    other   ac- 
cident :     whereas    to    glut- 
;  tony,  the  j^oaji  of  icatching 
and  choler,  the  ])angs  of  the 
helly^   are    continual   com- 
I  pany.     And  therefore  Stra- 
to'iiicus     said     handsomely 
concerning    the   luxury   of 
j  the  Rhodiaiis,  "  They  built 
houses  as  if  they  were  im- 
mortal, but  they  feasted  as 
I  if  they  meant  to  live  but  a 
j  little   while."     And    Anti- 
■  pater   by   his    reproach    of 
j  the    old    glutton   Bemades 
I  well  expressed  the  baseness 
'  of  this    sin ;   saying,    that 
i  Bemades.  now  old°,  and  al- 
I  ways  a  glutton,  was  like  a 
i  spent  sacrifice,  nothing  left 
of  him  but  his  belly  and  his 
I  tongue ;  all  the  man  besides 
is  gone. 

Of  Brunl-enness. 
But  I  desire  that  it  be 
observed,  that  because  in- 
temperance in  eating  is  not 
so  soon  perceived  by  others 
as  immoderate  drinking, 
and  the  outward  visible  ef- 
fects of  it  are  not  either  so 
notorious  or  so  ridiculous, 
therefore  gluttony  is  not 
of  so  great  disreputation 
amongst  men  as  drunken- 
ness ;  yet  according  to  its 
degree  it  puts  on  the  great- 
ness of  the  sin  before  God, 
and  is  most  strictly  to  be 

»  lb.     "  Plutarch,  de  cupid.  divit. 


OF  TEMPERANCE  IX  DRIXKIXG. 


57 


attended  to,  lest  we  be  sur-  | 
prised  by  our  security  and 
■want  of  diligence  ;  and  the 
intemperance  is  alike  crimi- 
nal in  both,  according  as 
the  affections  are  either  to 
the  meat  or  drink.  Glut- 
tony is  more  uncharitable 
to  the  body,  and  Drunken- 
ness to  the  Soul  or  the  un- 
derstanding part  of  man  ; 
and  therefore  in  Scripture 
is  more  frequently  forbidden 
and  declaimed  against  than 
the  other :  and  Sobriety 
hath  by  use  obtained  to  sig- 
nifyTemperance  in  drinking. 
Drunkenness  is  an  im- 
moderate affection  and  use 
of  drink.  That  I  call  im- 
moderate, that  is  besides  or 
beyond  that  order  of  good 
things  for  which  God  hath 
given  us  the  use  of  drink. 
The  ends  are  digestion  of 
our  meat,  cheerfulness  and 
refreshment  of  our  spirits, 
or  any  end  of  health  ;  besides 
which  if  we  go,  or  at  any 
time  heyoiid  it,  it  is  inor- 
dinate and  criminal ;  it  is 
the  vice  of  drunkenness. 
It  is  forbidden  by  our 
blessed  Saviour  in  these 
words,  "  Take  heed  to  your- 
selves lest  at  any  time  your 
hearts  he  overcharged  with 
surfeiting  and  drv/iiken- 
ness^^r  Surfeiting,  that  is, 
the  evil  effects,  the  sottish- 

P  Luke  xxi.  34. 


ness  and  remaining  stupi- 
dity, of  habitual  or  of  the 
last  night's  drunkenness. 
For  Christ  forbids  both  the 
actual  and  the  habitual  in- 
temperance ;  not  only  the 
effect  of  it,  but  also  the 
affection  to  it  :  for  in  both 
there  is  sin.  He  that  drinks 
but  little,  if  that  little  make 
him  drunk,  and  if  he  know- 
beforehand  his  own  infir- 
mity, is  guilty  of  surfeiting, 
not  of  drunkenness.  Eut 
he  that  drinks  much,  and 
is  strong  to  bear  it,  and  is 
not  deprived  of  his  reason 
violently,  is  guilty  of  the 
sin  of  drunkenness.  It  is  a 
sin  not  to  prevent  such  un- 
charitable effects  upon  the 
body  and  understanding  : 
And  therefore  a  man  that 
loves  not  the  drink,  is  guilty 
of  surfeiting,  if  he  does  not 
watch  to  prevent  the  evil 
effect :  and  it  is  a  sin,  and 
the  greater  of  the  two,  inor- 
dinately to  love  or  to  use 
the  drink,  though  the  sur- 
feiting or  violence  do  not 
follow.  Good  therefore  is 
the  counsel  of  the  Son  of 
Sirach  ;  Sheiv  not  thy  val- 
iantiuss  in  wine  ;  for  wine 
hath  destroyed  rnany"^. 

Evil  consequents  to  Drunk- 
enness. 

The  evils   and   sad   con- 

1  Ecclns.  xxxi.  25. 

3 


58 


OF  TEMPERANCE  IN  DRINKING. 


seqiients  of  drunkenness  (the 
consideration  of  vfhich  are 
as  so  many  arguments  to 
avoid  the  sin)  are  to  this 
sense  reckoned  by  the 
Writers  of  Holy  Scripture  ^, 
and  other  wise  personages 
of  the  world.  1.  It  cau- 
seth  woes  and  mischief, 
wounds  and  sorrow,  sin  and 
shame  ^  ;  it  maketh  bitter- 
ness of  spirit,  brawling  and 
quarrelling  ;  it  increaseth 
rage  and  lesseneth  strength; 
it  maketh  red  eyes  and  a 
loose  and  babbling  tongue. 
2,  It  particularly  ministers 
to  lust,  and  yet  disables  the 
body ;  so  that  in  effect  it 
makes  man  wanton  as  a 
Satyr,  and  impotent  as  age. 
And  Solomon,  in  enumerat- 
ing the  evils  of  this  vice, 
adds  this  to  the  account  ; 
Thine  eyes  shall  heholcl 
strange  loome^i,  and  thy 
heart  shall  utter  perverse 
things^ :  as  if  the  drunkard 
were  only  desire,  and  then 
impatience,  muttering  and 
enjoying  like  an  eunuch 
embracing  a  woman.  3.  It 
besots  and  hinders  the  ac- 
tions of  the  understanding, 
making  a  man  brutish  in 
his  passions,  and  a  fool  in 
his  reason  ;  and  differs 
nothing  from  madness,  but 
that  it  is  voluntary,  and  so 


is  an  equal  evil  in  nature, 
and  a  worse  in  manners. 
4.  It  takes  off  all  the 
guards,  and  lets  loose  the 
reins  of  all  those  evils  to 
which  a  man  is  by  his 
nature  or  by  his  evil  customs 
inclined,  and  from  which  he 
is  restrained  by  reason  and 
severe  principles.  Drunken- 
ness calls  off  the  watch- 
men from  their  towers  ;  and 
then  all  the  evils  that  can 
proceed  from  a  loose  heart, 
and  an  untied  tongue,  and 
a  dissolute  spirit,  and  an 
unguarded  unlimited  will, 
all  that  we  may  put  upon 
the  accounts  of  drunken- 
ness. 5.  It  extinguisheth 
and  quenches  the  Spirit  of 
God  ;  for  no  man  can  be 
filled  with  the  Spirit  of  God 
and  with  wine  at  the  same 
time.  And  therefore  Saint 
Paul  makes  them  exclusive 
of  each  other  :  Be  not  drunk 
with  wine  wherein  is  ex- 
cess ;  hut  he  filled  ivith  the 
Spirit^.  And  since  Joseph'' s 
cup  was  put  into  Benjamin'' s 
sack,  no  man  had  a  divining 
goblet'.  6.  It  opens  all  the 
sanctuaries  of  Nature,  and 
discovers  the  nakedness  of 
the  Soul,  all  its  weaknesses 
and  follies ;  it  multiplies 
sins  and  discovers  them  ;  it 
makes  a  man  incapable  of 


Prov.  xxiii.  29  •  Ecclus.  xxxi.  26.     «  Seneca. 
Ephes.  V.  18.  I  Gen.  xliv.  2,  5,  12. 


Prov.  xxiii.  33. 


OF  TEMPERANCE  IN  DRINKING. 


being  a  private  friend,  or 
a  public  counsellor  y.  7.  It 
taketh  a  man's  Soul  into 
slavery  and  imprisonment 
more  than  any  vice  what- 
soever ;  because  it  disarms 
a  man  of  all  his  reason  and 
his  wisdom  whereby  he 
might  be  cured  ;  and  there- 
fore commonly  it  grows 
upon  him  with  age  :  a 
drunkard  being  still  more 
a  fool  and  less  a  man.  I 
need  not  add  any  sad  ex- 
amples, since  all  story  and 
all  ages  have  too  many  of 
them.  Amnon  was  slain  by 
his  brother  Ahsalom  when 
he  was  warm  and  high  with 
wine^.  Simon  the  High 
Priest  and  two  of  his  sons 
were  slain  by  their  bro- 
ther at  a  drmiken  feast". 
Holof ernes  was  drunk  when 
Judith  slew  him  ''  :  and  all 
the  great  things  that  Daniel 
spake  of  Alexander''  were 
drowned  with  a  surfeit  of 
one  night's  intemperance  : 
and  the  drunkenness  of 
Noah  and  Lot  are  upon 
record  to  eternal  ages,  that 
in  those  early  instances,  and 
righteous  persons,  and  less 
criminal  drunkenness  than 
is  that  of  Christians  in  this 
period  of  the  world,  God 
might  shew  that  very  great 

y  ProY.  xxxi.  4,  5.     '  2  Sam.  xiii. 
■j   Jud.  xiii.  2,  8.  c  Dan. 

^  Geu.  ix.  20—22,  25.  xix'  30—2 


59 

evils  are  prepared  to  punish 
this  vice ;  no  less  than 
shame,  and  slavery,  and  in- 
cest ;  the  first  upon  Noah, 
the  second  upon  one  of  his 
sons,  and  the  third  in  the 
person  of  Lot  '^. 

Signs  of  Drunkenness. 

But  if  it  be  enquired  con- 
cerning the  periods  and 
distinct  significations  of  this 
crime,  and  v/hen  a  man  is 
said  to  be  drunk ;  to  this 
I  answer,  That  drunken- 
ness is  in  the  same  manner 
to  be  judged  as  sickness. 
As  every  illness  or  violence 
done  to  health  in  every  part 
of  its  continuance  is  a  part 
or  degree  of  sickness  :  so  is 
every  going  off  from  our 
natural  and  common  tem- 
per and  our  usual  severity 
of  behaviour,  a  degree  of 
drunkenness.  He  is  not 
only  drunk,  that  can  drink 
no  more  ;  for  few  are  so : 
but  he  hath  sinned  in  a 
degree  of  drunkenness,  who 
hath  done  anything  towards 
it  beyond  his  proper  mea- 
sure. But  its  parts  and 
periods  are  usually  thus 
reckoned.  1.  Apish  gestures. 
2.  Much  talking.  3.  Im- 
moderate laughing.  4.  Dul- 
ness  of  sense.  5.  Scurrility  ; 

23,  28.  a  1  Mace.  xvi.  11,  12,  16. 
vii.  6.  viii.  5—8,  2l.  xi.  3. 


CO 


OF  TEMPEKAKCE  IN  DRINKING. 


that  is,  wanton  or  jeer- 
ing  or    abusive    language. 

6.  An  useless  understanding. 

7.  Stupid  sleep.  8.  Epi- 
lepsies, or  fallings  and 
reelings ;  and  beastly  vo- 
mitings. The  least  of  these, 
even  when  the  tongue  be- 
gins to  be  untied,  is  a  degree 
of  drunkenness. 

But  that  we  may  avoid 
thes  in  of  Intemperance  in 
meats  and  drinks,  besides 
the  former  rules  of  mea- 
sures, these  counsels  also 
may  be  useful. 

Rules  for  obtaining   Tem- 
perance. 

1.  Be  not  often  present 
at  feasts  ;  nor  at  all  in  dis- 
solute company,  when  it 
may  be  avoided  :  for  variety 
of  pleasing  objects  steals 
away  the  heart  of  man ; 
and  company  is  either 
violent  or  enticing ;  and 
we  are  weak  or  complying, 
or  perhaps  desirous  enough 
to  be  abused.  Bat  if  you 
be  unavoidably  or  indis- 
creetly engaged,  let  not 
mistaken  civility  or  good 
nature  engage  thee  either 
to  the  temptation  of  stay- 
ing (if  thou  understandest 
thy  weakness)  or  the  sin 
of  drinking  inordinately. 

2.  Be  severe  in  your  judg- 
ment concei'uing  your  pro- 


portions, and  let  no  occasion 
make  you  enlarge  far  be- 
yond your  ordinary.  For  a 
man  is  surprised  by  parts  ; 
and  while  he  thinks  one 
glass  more  will  not  make 
him  drunk,  that  one  glass 
hath  disabled  him  from  well 
discerning  his  present  con- 
dition and  neighbour  danger. 
While  Tnen  think  themselves 
wise  they  become  fools  :  they 
think  they  shall  taste  the 
aconite  and  not  die,  or  crown 
their  heads  with  juice  of 
poppy  and  not  be  drowsy ; 
and  if  they  drink  off  the 
whole  vintage,  still  they 
think  they  can  swallow 
another  goblet^.  But  re- 
member this ;  when  ever 
you  begin  to  consider 
whether  you  may  safely 
take  one  draught  more,  it 
is  then  high  time  to  give 
over.  Let  that  be  accounted 
a  sign  late  enough  to  break 
off:  for  every  reason  to 
doubt,  is  a  sufficient  reason 
to  part  the  company. 

3.  Come  not  to  table  but 
when  thy  need  invites  thee: 
and  if  thou  beest  in  health, 
leave  something  of  thy  ap- 
petite unfilled,  something  of 
thy  natural  heat  unemploy- 
ed, that  it  may  secure  thy 
digestion,  and  serve  other 
needs  of  nature  or  the 
spirit. 


Seiiec.  ep.  83. 


OF  TEMPERANCE  IN  DRINKING. 


61 


4.  Propound  to  thyself 
(if  thou  beest  in  a  capacity) 
a  constant  rule  of  living,  of 
eating  and  drinking  :  which 
though  it  may  not  be  fit  to 
observe  scrupulously,  lest  it 
become  a  snare  to  thy  con- 
science, or  endanger  thy 
health  upon  every  acci- 
dental violence ;  yet  let 
not  thy  rule  be  broken 
often  nor  much,  but  upon 
great  necessity  and  in  small 
degrees, 

5.  Never  urge  any  man 
to  eat  or  drink  beyond  his 
own  limits  and  his  own 
desires.  He  that  does  other- 
wise, is  drunk  with  his 
brother's  surfeit,  and  reels 
and  falls  wuth  his  intem- 
perance ;  that  is,  the  sin 
of  drunkenness  is  upon 
both  their  scores  f  they 
both  lie  wallowing  in  the 
guilt, 

6.  Use  >S',  Paul's  instru- 
ments of  Sobriety  ?  :  Let  us 
who  are  of  the  day  he  sober, 
putting  on  the  breastplate  of 
faith  and  love,  and  for  an 
helmet  the  hope  of  salvation. 
Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity 
are  the  best  weapons  in  the 
world  to  fight  against  intem- 
perance. The  faith  of  the 
mahometans  forbids  them 
to  drink  -vvine,  and  they 
abstain    religiously   as    the 


sons  of  Rechah^ :  and  the 
faith  of  Christ  forbids 
drunkenness  to  us ;  and 
therefore  is  infinitely  more 
powerful  to  suppress  this 
\ice,  when  we  remember, 
that  we  are  Christians,  and 
to  abstain  from  drunkenness 
and  gluttony  is  part  of  the 
Faith  and  Discipline  of 
Jesus,  and  that  with  these 
vices  neither  our  love  to 
God,  nor  our  hopes  of 
heaven,  can  possibly  con- 
sist :  and  therefore  when 
these  enter  the  heart,  the 
others  go  out  at  the  mouth : 
for  this  is  the  Devil  that 
is  cast  out  by  fasting  and 
prayer,  which  are  the  proper 
actions  of  these  graces, 

7,  As  a  pursuance  of  this 
Rule,  it  is  a  good  advice, 
that,  as  we  begin  and  end 
all  our  times  of  eating  with 
prayer  and  thanksgiving, 
so  at  the  meal  we  remove 
and  carry  up  our  mind  and 
spirit  to  the  Celestial  table, 
often  thinking  of  it,  and 
often  desiring  it ;  that  by 
enkindling  thy  desire  to 
Heavenly  banquets,  thou 
mayest  be  indifi'erent  and 
less  passionate  for  the 
earthly. 

8  .  Mingle  discourses  pious, 
or  in  some  sense  profitable, 
and  in  all  senses  charitable 


f  Nil  mferest.  faveas  sceleri,  au  illu:l  facias.  Seneca. 
^  Jur,  XXXV.  6. 


%  1  Thess.  V.  8. 


62 


OF  CHASTITY. 


and  innocent,  with  thy  meal, 
as  occasion  is  ministered. 

9.  Let  your  drink  so  serve 
your  meat,  as  your  meat 
doth  your  health ;  that  it 
be  apt  to  convey  and  digest 
it,  and  refresh  the  spirits  : 
but  let  it  never  go  beyond 
such  a  refreshment  as  may 
a  little  lighten  the  present 
load  of  a  sad  or  troubled 
spirit ;  never  to  inconveni- 
ence, lightness,  sottishness, 
vanity,  or  intemperance ; 
and  know  that  the  loosing 
the  bands  of  the  tongue, 
and  the  very  first  dissolu- 
tion of  its  duty,  is  one 
degree  of  the  intemperance. 

10.  In  all  cases  be  careful 
that  you  be  not  brought 
under  the  power  of  such 
things  which  otherwise  are 
lawful  enough  in  the  use. 
AU  things  are  lawful  for 
me^  hut  i  will  not  he  hr ought 
under    the    power    of   any 


thing,  said  >S'.  Paul'K  And 
to  be  perpetually  longing, 
and  impatiently  desirous  of 
any  thing,  so  that  a  man 
cannot  abstain  from  it,  is  to 
lose  a  man's  liberty,  and  to 
become  a  servant  of  meat 
and  drink,  or  smoke.  And 
I  wish  this  last  instance 
were  more  considered  by 
persons  who  little  suspect 
themselves  guilty  of  in- 
temperance, though  their 
desires  are  strong  and  im- 
patient, and  the  use  of  it 
perpetual  and  unreasonable 
to  all  purposes,  but  that 
they  have  made  it  habitual 
and  necessary,  as  intem- 
perance itself  is  made  to 
some  men. 

11.  Use  those  advices 
which  are  prescribed  as 
instruments  to  suppress 
Voluptuousness  in  the  fore- 
going Section. 


Sect.  III. 


Of  Chastity. 


Reader,  stay;  and  read 
not  the  advices  of  the  follow- 
ing section,  unless  thou  hast 
a  chaste  spirit;  or  desirest 
to  he  chaste :  or  at  least  are 
apt  to  consider  whether  you 
ought  or  no.  For  there  are 
some  spirits  so  Atheistical, 
and  some  so  ivholly  j^^ssessed 


toith  a  spirit  of  uncleanness, 
that  they  turn  the  most  pru- 
dent and  chaste  discourses 
into  dirt  and  filthy  appre- 
hensions; like  choleric  sto- 
machs, changing  their  very 
cordials  and  medicines  into 
hitterness;  and  in  a  literal 
sense  turning  the  grace  of 

vi.  12. 


OF  CUASTITT. 


63 


God  into  wantonness ''.  They 
study  cases  of  conscieiice  in 
the  matter  of  carnal  sins,  not 
to  avoid,  but  to  learn  ways 
how  to  offend  God  and  pollute 
their  own  spirits  ;  and  search 
their  houses  with  a  sunbeam, 
that  they  may  be  instructed 
in  all  the  corners  of  nasti- 
7iess.  I  have  used  all  the 
care  I  coidd,  in  the  follow- 
ing periods,  that  I  might 
neither  be  wanting  to  assist 
those  that  need  it,  nor  yet 
minister  any  occasion  of 
fancy  or  vainer  thoughts 
to  those  that  need  them  not. 
If  any  man  loill  snatch  the 
pure  taper  frora  my  hand, 
and  hold  it  to  the  Devil,  he 
will  only  burn  his  oivn 
fingers,  but  shall  not  rob 
me  of  the  reward  of  my  care 
and  good  intention;  since 
I  have  taken  heed  hoio  to 
express  the  following  duties, 
and  given  hirrv  caution  how 
to  read  them. 

Chastity  is  that  duty, 
which  was  mystically  in- 
tended by  God  in  the  law 
of  Circumcision.  It  is  the 
circumcision  of  the  heart, 
the  cutting  oif  all  sufer- 
fluity  of  naughtiness^,  and 
a  suppression  of  all  irre- 
gular desires  in  the  matter 
of  sensual  or  carnal  plea- 
sure. I  call  all  desires  irre- 
gular  and   sinful  J  that  are 

k  Jude,  4. 


not  sanctified,  1.  By  the 
holy  institution,  or  by  being 
within  the  protection,  of 
marriage  ;  2.  by  being 
within  the  order  of  nature  ; 
3.  by  being  within  the 
moderation  of  Christian 
modesty.  Against  the  first 
are  fornication,  adultery, 
and  all  voluntary  pollu- 
tions of  either  sex.  Against 
the  second  are  all  unnatural 
lusts  and  incestuous  mix- 
tures. Against  the  third 
is  all  immoderate  use  of 
permitted  beds ;  concern- 
ing which  judgment  is  to 
be  made  as  concerning 
meats  and  drinks :  there 
being  no  certain  degree  of 
frequency  or  intention  pre- 
scribed to  all  persons,  but 
it  is  to  be  ruled  as  the 
other  actions  of  a  man ;  by 
proportion  to  the  end,  by 
the  dignity  of  the  person 
in  the  honour  and  severity 
of  being  a  Christian,  and 
by  other  circumstances,  of 
which  I  am  to  give  account. 
Chastity  is  that  grace, 
which  forbids  and  restrains 
all  these ;  keeping  the  body 
and  Soul  pure  in  that  state 
in  which  it  is  placed  by 
God,  whether  of  the  single 
or  of  the  married  life.  Con- 
cerning which  our  duty  is 
thus  described  by  S.  Paul ; 
For    this    is    the    will   of 

1  Jam.  i.  2]. 


64 


OF  CHASTITY. 


Ood,  even  your  sanctifica- 
tion,  that  ye  should  abstain 
from  fornication :  that  every 
one  of  you  should  know  how 
to  possess  his  vessel  in  sancti- 
fication  and  honour  ;  Not  in 
the  lust  of  concupiscence, 
even  as  the  Gentiles  which 
Icnoio  not  God"". 

Chastity  is  either  ahsti- 
tience  or  continence.  Ab- 
stinence is  that  of  Virgins 
or  Widows :  Continence  of 
married  persons.  Chaste 
marriages  are  honourable 
and  pleasing  to  God:  Widoiv- 
hood  is  pitiable  in  its  soli- 
tariness and  loss,  but  ami- 
able and  comely  when  it  is 
adorned  with  gravity  and 
purity,  and  not  sullied  with 
remembrances  of  the  passed 
licence,  nor  with  present 
desires  of  returning  to  a 
second  bed.  But  Virginity 
is  a  life  of  Angels,  the 
enamel  of  the  soul,  the 
huge  advantage  of  Religion, 
the  great  opportunity  for 
the  retirements  of  devo- 
tion" :  and,  being  empty 
of  cares,  it  is  full  of 
prayers  ;  being  unmingled 
with  the  world,  it  is  apt 
to  converse  with  God  ;  and, 
by  not  feeling  the  warmth 
of  a  too-forward  and  in- 
dulgent nature,  flames  out 


with  holy  fires,  till  it  be 
burning  like  the  Cherubim 
and  the  most  extasied  order 
of  holy  and  unpolluted 
Spirits. 

Natural  virginity  of  itself 
is  not  a  state  more  accept- 
able to  God:  but  that  which 
is  chosen  and  voluntary  in 
order  to  the  conveniences 
of  Religion  and  separation 
from  worldly  incumbrances, 
is  therefore  better  than  the 
married  life,  not  that  it  is 
more  holy,  but  that  it  is 
a  freedom  from  cares,  an 
opportunity  to  spend  more 
time  in  spiritual  employ- 
ments ;  it  is  not  allayed 
with  business  and  attend- 
ances upon  lower  affairs : 
and  if  it  be  a  chosen  con- 
dition to  these  ends,  it  con- 
taineth  in  it  a  victory  over 
lusts,  and  greater  desires 
of  Religion  and  self-denial; 
and  therefore  is  more  excel- 
lent than  the  married  life, 
in  that  degree  in  which  it 
hath  greater  religion,  and 
a  greater  mortification ;  a 
less  satisfaction  of  natural 
desires,  and  a  greater  ful- 
ness of  the  spiritual :  and 
just  so  is  to  expect  that 
little  coronet  or  special  re- 
ward which  God  hath  pre- 
pared   (extraordinary    and 


•"  1  Thess.  iv.  3—5. 

n  "Virginitas  est  in  came  corruptibili  incorruptionis  perpetua  meditatio. 
S.  Aug.  I.  de  Virg.  c.  13. 


OF  CHASTITY. 


65 


besides  the  great  Crown  of  all 
faithful  Souls)  for  those  who 
have  not  defiled  themselves 
with  women,  hut  follow  the 
Virgin  Lamb  for  ever°. 

But  some  married  persons 
even  in  their  marriage  do 
better  please  God  than  some 
Virgins  in  their  state  of 
virginity :  They  by  giving 
great  example  of  conjugal 
affection,  by  preserving  their 
faith  unbroken,  by  educat- 
ing children  in  the  fear  of 
God,  by  patience  and  con- 
tentedness  and  holy  thoughts 
and  the  exercise  of  virtues 
proper  to  that  state,  do  not 
only  please  God,  but  do  in 
a  higher  degree  than  those 
Virgins  whose  piety  is  not 
answerable  to  their  great 
opportunities  and  advan- 
tages. 

However,  married  persons 
and  Widows  and  Virgins 
are  all  servants  of  God  and 
coheirs  in  the  inheritance  of 
Jesus,  if  they  live  within  the 
restraints  and  laws  of  their 
particular  estate,  chastely, 
temperately,  justly,  and 
religiously. 

The  evil  consequents  of 
Uncleanness. 

The  blessings  and  proper 
effects  of  Chastity  we  shall 


best  understand  by  reckon- 
ing the  evils  of  uncleanness 
and  carnality. 

1.  Uncleanness  of  all  vices 
is  the  most  shameful.  The 
eye  of  the  adulterer  icaiteth 

for  the  twilight,  saying,  No 
eye  shall  see  me;  and  dis- 
guiseth  his  face.  In  the  dark 
they  dig  through  houses, 
ivldch  they  had  marJced  for 
themselves  in  ths  day-time; 
they  know  not  the  light : 
[for  the  morning  is  to  thera 
as  the  shadow  of  death.  He 
is  swift  as  the  waters  ;  their 
portion  is  cursed  in  the 
earth  :  he  beholdeth  not  the 
way  of  the  vineyards^. 
Shame  is  the  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Uncleanness. 

2.  The  appetites  of  un- 
cleanness are  full  of  cares 
and  trouble,  and  its  fruition 
is  sorrow  and  repentance''. 
The  way  of  the  adulterer 
is  hedged  ivith  thorns^ ;  full 
of  fears  and  jealousies,  burn- 
ing desires  and  impatient 
waitings,  tediousness  of 
delay,  and  sufferance  of 
affronts,  and  amazements 
of  discovery. 

3.  Most  of  its  kinds  are 
of  that  condition,  that  they 
involve  the  ruin  of  two 
Souls  :  and  he  that  is  a 
fornicator     or     adulterous. 


"   Apoc.  xiv.  4  ;  Isa.  Ivi.  4,  h.  p  Job  xxiv.  15,  &c. 

q  Appetitus  fornicationis  anxietas  est,  satietas  vero  poeuiteutia.  S.  Hieron. 
Hos.  ii.  6. 


66 


OP  CHASTITY. 


steals  the  Soul  as  well  as 
dishonours  the  body  of  his 
Neighbour ;  and  so  it  be- 
comes like  the  sin  of  falling 
Lucifer^  who  brought  a  part 
of  the  stars  with  his  tail 
from  Heaven. 

4.  Of  all  carnal  sins  it  is 
that  alone  which  the  Devil 
takes  delight  to  imitate  and 
counterfeit ;  communicating 
with  witches  and  impure 
persons  in  the  corporal  act 
but  in  this  only. 

5.  Uncleanness  with  all 
its  kinds  is  a  vice  which 
hath  a  professed  enmity 
against  the  body.  Every 
sin  v:h.icha  man  doth  is 
tvithout  the  body;  but  he 
that  committeth  fornication 
sinneth  against  his  own 
body\ 

6.  Uncleanness  is  hugely 
contrary  to  the  spirit  of 
government  by  embasing 
the  spirit  of  a  man,  making 
it  eifeminate,  sneaking,  soft 
and  foolish,  without  courage, 
without  confidence.  David 
felt  this  after  his  folly  with 
Bathsheha ;  he  fell  to  un- 
kiugly  arts  and  stratagems 
to  hide  the  crime :  and  he 
did  nothing  but  increase  it, 
and  remained  timorous  and 
poor-spirited,  till  he  prayed 
to  God  once  more  to  esta- 


blish him  with  a  free  and  a 
Princely  sjnrit^.  And  no 
superior  dare  strictly  observe 
discipline  upon  his  charge, 
if  he  hath  let  himself  loose 
to  the  shame  of  incontinence. 
7.  The  Gospel  hath  added 
two  arguments  against  un- 
cleanness which  were  never 
before  used,  nor  indeed  could 
be  :  since  God  hath  given 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that 
are  baptized,  and  rightly 
confirmed,  and  entered  into 
covenant  with  Him,  our 
bodies  are  made  temples  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  which  He 
dwells  ;  and  therefore  un- 
cleanness is  Sacrilege,  and 
defiles  a  Temple.  It  is  >S'. 
PauVs  argument,  Know  ye 
not  that  your  body  is  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost "  ? 
and  He  that  defiles  a  tem- 
ple, him  %oill  God  destroys. 
Therefore  glorify  God  in 
your  bodies^ ;  that  is,  flee 
Fornication^.  To  which  for 
the  likeness  of  the  argument 
add,  that  our  bodies  are  mem- 
bers of  Christ,  and  therefore 
God  forbid  that  we  should 
take  the  members  of  Christ 
and  mxike  them  members  of 
a  harlot  \  So  that  unclean- 
ness dishonours  Christ,  and 
dishonours  the  Holy  Spirit : 
it  is  a  sin  against  God,  and 


1  Cor.  vi.  18. 
1  Cor.  vi.  19. 
[1  Cor.  vi.  20.] 


Spiritu  principali  me  confirma,  Ps.  li. 

«  1  Cor.  iii.  17. 
'  [lb.  18.]  »  [lb.  15.] 


OF  CHASTITY. 


C7 


in  this  sense  a  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

S.  The  next  special  argu- 
ment which  the  Gospel  mi- 
nisters especially  against 
adultery,  and  for  the  pre- 
servation of  the  purity  of 
marriage,  is,  that  Marriage 
is  by  Christ  hallowed  into  a 
mystery  to  signify  the  Sa- 
cramental and  mystical 
union  of  Christ  and  His 
Ghurcli  b.  He  therefore  that 
breaks  this  knot,  which  the 
Church  and  their  mutual 
faith  hath  tied,  and  Christ 
hath  knit  up  into  a  mystery, 
dishonours  a  great  rite  of 
Christianity,  of  high,  spi- 
ritual, and  excellent  signifi- 
cation. 

9.  tS.  Greff or}/ reckons  un- 
cleanness  to  be  the  parent  of 
these  monsters  ■= ;  Blindness 
of  mind,  inconsideration, 
precipitancy  or  giddiness  in 
actions,  self-love,  hatred  of 
God,  love  of  the  present 
pleasures,  a  despite  or  de- 
spair of  the  joys  of  Religion 
here  and  of  heaven  here- 
after. Whereas  a  pure  mind 
in  a  chaste  body  is  the 
mother  of  wisdom  and  de- 
liberation, sober  counsels 
and  ingenuous  actions,  open 
deportment  and  sweet  car- 
riage, sincere  principles  and 
unprejudicate     understand- 

b  Ephes.  V.  32. 

"1  S.  Cyprian,  de  bono  pndicitije. 


ing,  love  of  God  and  self- 
denial,  peace  and  confidence, 
holy  prayers  and  spiritual 
comfort,  and  a  pleasure  of 
Spirit  infinitely  greater  than 
the  sottish  and  beastly  plea- 
sures of  unchastity.  For 
to  ov€7rome  pleasure  is  the 
greatest  pleasure;  and  no 
victory  is  greater  than  that 
which  is  gotten  over  our  lusts 
and  filthy  inclination  s  ^. 

10.  Add  to  all  these,  the 
public  dishonesty  and  dis- 
reputation that  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  world  have  cast 
upon  adulterous  and  un- 
hallowed embraces.  Abi- 
melech  to  the  men  of  Gerar 
made  it  death  to  meddle 
with  the  wife  of  Isaac :  and 
Judah  condemned  Thamar 
to  be  burnt  for  her  adul- 
terous conception :  and  God, 
besides  the  Law  made  to 
put  the  adulterous  person 
to  death,  did  constitute  a 
settled  and  constant  miracle 
to  discover  the  adultery  of  a 
suspected  woman,  that  her 
bowels  should  burst  with 
drinking  the  waters  of 
jealousy  e.  The  Egyptian 
law  was  to  cut  ofi"  the  nose 
of  the  adulteress,  and  the 
oifending  part  of  the  adul- 
terer. The  Locrians  put 
out  the  adulterer's  both 
eyes.       The    Germans    (as 

c  Moral. 

•  Nnmb.  v.  14,  &c. 


68 


OF  CHASTITY. 


Tacitus  reports)  placed  the 
adulteress  amidst  her  kin- 
dred naked,  and  shared  her 
head,  and  caused  her  hus- 
band to  beat  her  -R-ith  clubs 
through  the  city.  The 
GortyiKJcans  cro-R-ned  the 
man  -with  wool,  to  shame 
him  for  his  efieminacy:  and 
the  Ci'.mani  caused  the 
woman  to  ride  upon  an  Ass, 
naked  and  hooted  at ;  and 
for  ever  after  called  her  by 
an  appellative  of  scorn  ^,  "  J[ 
rider  upon  the  AssP  All 
nations,  barbarous  and  civil, 
agreeing  in  their  general 
design  of  rooting  so  dis- 
honest and  shameful  a  vice 
from  under  heaven. 

The  f  middle  ages  of  the 
Church  were  not  pleased 
that  the  adulteress  should 
be  put  to  death  :  but  in  the 
Primitive  ages  the  i>  civil 
laws,  by  which  Christians 
were  then  governed,  gave 
leave  to  the  wronged  hus- 
band to  kill  his  adulterous 
wife,  if  he  took  her  in  the 
fact :  but,  because  it  was  a 
privilege  indulged  to  men, 
rather  than  a  direct  de- 
testation of  the  crime ;  a 
consideration  of  the  injiury 
rather  than  of  the  unclean- 
ness  ;  therefore  it  was  soon 
altered :  but  yet  hath  caused 


an  inquiry,  ^Vhether  is  worse, 
the  adultery  of  the  man  or 
the  icornan. 

The  resolution  of  which 
case,  in  order  to  our  present 
affair,  is  thus.  In  respect 
of  the  person,  the  fault  is 
greater  in  a  man  than  in  a 
woman  ;  who  is  of  a  more 
pliant  and  easy  spirit  and 
weaker  understanding,  and 
hath  nothing  to  supply  the 
unequal  strengths  of  men 
but  the  defensative  of  a 
passive  nature  and  armour 
of  modesty,  which  is  the 
natural  ornament  of  that  sex. 
And  it  is  v.njust  that  the 
man  shoidd  demand  chastity 
and  severity  from  his  wife, 
which  himself  will  not  ob- 
serve towards  her'^,  said  the 
good  Emperor  Antoninus  : 
it  is  as  if  the  man  should 
persuade  his  wife  to  fight 
against  those  enemies  to 
which  he  had  yielded  him- 
self a  prisoner.  2.  In  re- 
spect of  the  effects  and  evil 
consequents,  the  adultery  of 
the  woman  is  worse ;  as 
bringing  bastardy  into  a 
family,  and  dis-inherisons 
or  great  injuries  to  the  law- 
ful childi-en,  and  infinite 
violations  of  peace,  and 
murders,  and  divorces,  and 
all  the  efiects  of  rase  and 


^  ovo^dris.       s  Concil,  TribuT.  c.  49.  Concil.  Anrel.  1.  sub  Clodov.<jpo. 

^  Cod.  de  aiulteriis;  ad  legem  Juliam,  1.  1.  &  Cod.  Theod.  de  adulte- 

riis,  c.  placnit,  '  Apud  Aug.  de  adulter,  conjug.  Pint,  de  conjug.  praecept. 


OF  CHASTITY. 


69 


madness.  3.  But  in  re- 
spect of  the  crime,  and  as 
relating  to  God,  they  are 
equal,  intolerable,  and 
damnable:  and  since  it  is 
no  more  permitted  to  men 
to  have  many  wives,  than  to 
women  to  have  many  hus- 
bands, and  that  in  this 
respect  their  privilege  is 
equal  ;  their  sin  is  so  too. 
And  this  is  the  case  of  the 
question  in  Christianity. 
And  the  Church  anciently 
refused  to  admit  such  per 


ability,  or  other  circum- 
stance, they  be  restrained 
from  act. 

3.  To  have  a  chaste  eye 
and  hand^ :  for  it  is  all  one 
with  what  part  of  the  body 
we  commit  adultery :  and  if 
a  man  lets  his  eye  loose, 
and  enjoys  the  lust  of  that, 
he  is  an  adulterer.  Look 
not  upon  a  'woman  to  lust 
after  herK  And  supposing 
all  the  other  members  re- 
strained, yet  if  the  eye  be 
permitted  to  lust,  the  man 


sons  to  the  holy  Communion,  ;  can  no  otherwise  be  called 
until  they  had  done  seven  i  chaste,  than  he  can  be  called 
years  penances  in  fasting,  in  !  severe   and   mortified,   that 


sackcloth,  in  severe  iniiic- 
tions  and  instruments  of 
chastity  and  sorrow,  accord- 
ing to  the  discipline  of  those 
ages. 

Acts  of  Chastity  in  general. 

The  actions  and  proper 
offices  of  the  grace  of  Chas- 
tity in  general  are  these, 

1.  To  resist  all  unchaste 
thoughts  :  at  no  hand  enter- 
taining pleasure  in  the  un- 
fruitful fancies  and  remem- 
brances of  uncleanness,  al- 
though no  definite  desire  or 
resolution  be  entertained. 

2.  At  no  hand  to  entertain 
any  cle?>ire,  or  any  phan- 
tastic  imaginative  loves, 
though   by   shame,   or  dis- 

^  Time  videre  unde  possis  cadere;    &  noli  fieri  perversa  simplicitate 
securus.     5,  Aug.  ^  Matth.  v.  28. 


sits  all  day  long  seeing 
plays  and  revellings,  and 
out  of  greediness  to  fiU 
his  eye,  neglects  his  belly. 
There  are  some  vessels, 
which  if  you  oiFer  to  lift  by 
the  belly  or  bottom,  you  can- 
not stir  them,  but  are  soon 
removed  if  you  take  them 
by  the  ears.  It  matters  not 
with  which  of  your  members 
you  are  taken  and  carried 
off  from  your  duty  and 
severity. 

4.  To  have  a,  heart  and, 
mind  chaste  and  pure :  that 
is,  detesting  aU  uncleanness ; 
disliking  all  its  motions, 
past  actions,  circumstances, 
likenesses,  discourses  :  and 
this  ought  to  be  the  chas- 


70  OF  CHASTITY. 

tity  of  Virgins  and  Widows, 
of  old  persons  and  Eunuchs 
especially,  and  generally  of 
all  men,  according  to  their 
several  necessities. 

5.  To  discourse  chastely 
and  purely :  with  great  care 
declining  all  indecencies  of 
language ;  chastening  the 
tongue  ;  and  restraining  it 
with  grace,  as  vapours  of 
wine  are  restrained  with  a 
bunch  of  myrrh. 

6.  To  disapprove  hy  an 
after-act  all  involuntary  and 
naturcd  pollutions :  for  if  a 
man  delights  in  having 
suffered  any  natural  pollu- 
tion, and  with  pleasure  re- 
members it,  he  chooses  that 
which  was  in  itself  involun- 
tary :  and  that  which,  being 
natural,  was  innocent ;  be- 
coming voluntary,  is  made 
sinful. 

7.  They  that  have  per- 
formed these  duties  and 
parts  of  Chastity,  will  cer- 
tainly abstain  from  all  ex- 
terior actions  of  unclean- 
ness,  those  noon-day  and 
mid-night  Devils,  those  law- 
less and  ungodly  worship- 
pings of  shame  and  unclean- 
ness,  whose  birth  is  in 
trouble,  whose  growth  is  in 
folly,  and  whose  end  is  in 
shame. 

But  besides  these  general 
acts  of  Chastity  which  are 
common  to  all  states  of  men 


and  women,  there  are  some 
few  things  proper  to  the 
severals. 

Acts  of  Virginal  Chastity. 

1.  Virgins  must  remem- 
ber, that  the  Virginity  of 
the  body  is  only  excellent 
in  order  to  the  purity  of  the 
Soul :  who  therefore  must 
consider,  that  since  they  are 
in  some  measure  in  a  con- 
dition like  that  of  Angels, 
it  is  their  duty  to  spend 
much  of  their  time  in  An- 
gelic employment  :  for  in 
the  same  degree  that  Virgins 
live  more  spiritually  than 
other  persons,  in  the  same 
degree  is  their  Vii'ginity  in 
a  more  excellent  state.  But 
else  it  is  no  better  than 
that  of  involuntary  or  con- 
strained eunuchs  :  a  misery 
and  a  trouble ;  or  else  a  mere 
privation,  as  much  without 
excellency  as  without  mix- 
ture. 

2.  Virgins  must  contend 
for  a  singular  modesty, 
whose  first  part  must  be 
an  ignorance  in  the  dis- 
tinction of  sexes,  or  their 
proper  instruments ;  or  if 
they    accidentally    be     in- 

j  structed  in  that,  it  must 
be  supplied  with  an  inad- 
vertency or  neglect  of  all 
thoughts  and  remembrances 
of  such  difference  :  and  the 
following  parts  of  it  must  be 


OP    CHASTITY. 


71 


pious  and  chaste  thouglits, 
holy  language,  and  modest 
carriage. 

3.  Virgins  must  be  retired 
and  unpublic  :  for  all  free- 
dom and  looseness  of  society 
is  a  violence  done  to  vir- 
ginity, not  in  its  natural, 
but  in  its  moral  capacity: 
that  is,  it  loses  part  of  its 
severity,  strictness,  and 
opportunity  of  advantages, 
by  publishing  that  person, 
whose  Avork  is  religion, 
whose  company  is  Angels, 
whose  thoughts  must  dwell 
in  heaven,  and  separate 
from  all  mixtures  of  the 
world. 

4.  Virgins  have  a  peculiar 
obligation  to  charity :  for 
this  is  the  virginity  of  the 
Soul  ;  as  purity,  integrity, 
and  separation  is  of  the 
body :  which  doctrine  we 
are  taught  by  S.Peter;  Seeing 
ye  have  j^urified  your  souls 
in  oheying  the  truth  through 
the  Spirit  unto  unfeigned 
love  of  the  brethren^  see  that 
ye  love  one  another  loith  a 
picre  heart  fervently '.  For 
a  Virgin  that  consecrates 
her  body  to  God,  and  pol- 
lutes her  spirit  with  rage, 
or  impatience,  or  inordinate 
anger,  gives  Him  what  He 
most  hates,  a  most  foul  and 
defiled  soul. 


5.  These  rules  are  neces- 
sary for  Virgins,  that  offer 
that  state  to  God,  and  mean 
not  to  enter  into  the  state 
of  marriage  :  for  they  that 
only  wait  the  opportunity 
of  a  convenient  change,  are 
to  steer  themselves  by  the 
general  rules  of  chastity. 

Rules  for  Widows,  or  Vidiud 
Chastity. 

For  Widows,  the  fontinel 
of  whose  desires  hath  been 
opened  by  the  former  per- 
missions of  the  marriage- 
bed,  they  must  remember, 

1.  That  God  hath  now  re- 
strained the  former  licence, 
bound  up  their  eyes,  and 
shut  up  their  heart  into  a 
narrower  compass,  and  hath 
given  them  sorrow  to  be  a 
bridle  to  their  desires.  A 
Widow  must  be  a  mourner  ; 
and  she  that  is  not,  cannot 
so  well  secure  the  chastity 
of  her  proper  state. 

2.  It  is  against  public 
honesty  to  marry  another 
man  so  long  as  she  is  with 
child  by  her  former  hus- 
band :  and  of  the  same  fame 
it  is,  in  a  lesser  proportion, 
to  marry  within  the  year  of 
mourning  :  but  anciently  it 
was  infamous  for  her  to 
marry,  till  by  common  ac- 
count the  body  was  dissolved 


]  1  Pet.  i.  22. 


•2 


OF  CHASTITY. 


into    its   first  principle    of  ^ 
earth.  I 

3.  A  Widow  must  restrain 
her  memory  and  her  fancy,  ' 
not  recalling  or  recounting  | 
her  former  permissions  and 
freer  licences  with  any  pre- 
sent delight  :  for  then  she 
opens  that  sluice  which  her 
husband's  death  and  her 
own  sorrow  have  shut  up. 

4.  A  Widovv^,  that  desires 
her  Widowhood  should  be  a 
state  pleasing  to  God,  must 
spend  her  time  as  devoted 
virgins  should,  in  fastings, 
and  prayers,  and  charity. 

5.  A  Widow  must  forbid 
herself  to  use  those  temporal 
solaces,  which  in  her  former 
estate  were  innocent,  but 
now  are  dangerous. 

Hules  for  Married  Persons, 
or  Matrimonial  Chastity. 

Concerning  married  per- 
sons, besides  the  keeping  of 
their  mutual  faith  and  con- 
tract with  each  other,  these 
particulars  are  useful  to  be 
observed. 

1.  Although  their  mutual 
endearments  are  safe  within 
the  protection  of  marriage, 
yet  they  that  have  wives  or 
husbands,  must  be  as  though 
they  had  them  not ;  that  is, 
they  must  have  an  affection 
greater  to  each  other  than 


they  have  to  any  person  in 
the  world,  but  not  greater 
than  they  have  to  God  :  but 
that  they  be  ready  to  part 
with  all  interest  in  each 
other's  person  rather  than 
sin  against  God. 

2.  In  their  permissions 
and  licence,  they  must  be 
sure  to  observe  the  order  of 
Nature,  and  the  ends  of  God. 
He  is  an  ill  husband  that 
uses  his  wife  as  a  ma7i  treats 
a  harlot ",  having  no  other 
end  but  pleasure.  Concern- 
ing which  our  best  rule  is, 
that  although  in  this,  as  in 
eating  and  drinking,  there 
is  an  appetite  to  be  satisfied, 
which  cannot  be  done  with- 
out pleasing  that  desire  ; 
yet  since  that  desire  and 
satisfaction  was  intended  by 
nature  for  other  ends,  they 
should  never  be  separate 
from  those  ends,  but  always 
be  joined  with  all  or  one  of 
these  ends,  with  a  desire  of 
children,  or  to  avoid  forni- 
cation^ or  to  lighten  and 
ease  the  cares  and  sadnesses 
of  household  affairs,  or  to 
endear  each  other;  but  never 
with  a  purpose  either  in  act 
or  desire  to  separate  the 
sensuality  from  these  ends 
which  hallow  it.  Onan  did 
separate  his  act  from  its 
proper  end,  and  so  ordered 


"  Plutarch.  De  Conjug.  Praecept. 


his  embraces  that  his  wife 
should  not  conceive,  and 
God  punished  him. 

3.  Married  persons  must 
keep  such  modesty  "^  and 
decency  of  treating  each 
other,  that  they  never  force 
themselves  into  high  and 
violent  lusts,  with  arts  and 
misbecoming  devices  ;  al- 
ways remembering  that 
those  mixtures  are  most 
innocent,  which  are  most 
simple  and  most  naticral, 
most  orderly,  and  most  safe. 

4.  It  is  a  duty  of  matri- 
monial chastity  to  be  re- 
strained and  temperate  in 
the  use  of  their  lawful  plea- 
sures :  concerning  wnich, 
although  no  universal  rule 
can  antecedently  be  given  to 
all  persons,  any  more  than 
to  all  bodies  one  proportion 
of  meat  and  drink ;  yet 
married  persons  are  to  es- 
timate the  degree  of  their 
licence  according  to  the  fol- 
lowing proportions.  *  1. 
That  it  be  moderate,  so  as 
to  consist  with  health.  *2. 
That  it  be  so  ordered  as  not 
to  be  too  expensive  of  time, 
that  precious  opportunity  of 
working  out  our  salvation. 
*  3.  That  when  duty  is  de- 
manded, it  be  always  payed 


OF  CUASTITY.  73 

(so  far  as  is  in  our  powers 
and  election)  according  to 
the  foregoing  measures.  *4. 
That  it  be  with  a  temperate 
affection,  without  violent 
transporting  desires  or  too 
sensual  applications.  Con- 
cerning which  a  man  is  to 
make  judgment  by  propor- 
tion to  other  actions,  and 
the  severities  of  his  religion, 
and  the  sentences  of  sober 
and  wise  persons  ;  always 
remembering,  that  marriage 
is  a  provision  for  supply  of 
the  natural  necessities  of  the 
body,  not  for  the  artificial 
and  procured  appetites  of 
the  mind.  And  it  is  a  sad 
truth,  that  many  married 
persons,  thinking  that  the 
flood-gates  of  liberty  are  set 
wide  open  without  measures 
or  restraints  (so  they  sail  in 
that  channel),  have  felt  the 
final  rewards  of  intempe- 
rance and  lust,  by  their 
unlawful  using  of  lawful 
permissions.  Only  let  each 
of  them  be  temperate,  and 
both  of  them  be  modest. 
Socrates  was  wont  to  say, 
that  those  women  to  whom 
nature  had  not  been  indul- 
gent in  good  features  and 
colours,  should  make  it  up 
themselves    with    excellent 


■>  Non  rect^  est  ab  Herodoto  dictuin,  simul  cum  tunic5  mulierem  vere- 
cundiam  exuere.  Quee  n.  casta  est,  positS  veste,  verecundiam  ejus  loco 
induit,  maxim^qne  verecundia  conjnges  teaser^  maximi  invicem  amoris 
utuntur.    Plut.  conjug.  prcecept. 


74 


OF  CHASTITY. 


manners ;  and  those  wlio 
were  beautiful  and  comely, 
should  be  careful  that  so 
fair  a  body  be  not  polluted 
■with  unhandsome  usages. 
To  which  Plutarch°  adds, 
that  a  wife  if  she  be  un- 
handsome, should  consider 
how  extremely  ugly  she 
should  be  if  she  wanted 
modesty  :  but  if  she  be 
handsome,  let  her  think  how 
gracious  that  beauty  would 
be  if  she  superadds  chastity. 
5.  Married  persons  by  con- 
sent are  to  abstain  from 
their  mutual  entertainments 
at  solemn  times  of  devotion  ; 
not  as  a  duty  of  itself  ne- 
cessary, but  as  being  the 
most  proper  act  of  purity 
which  in  their  condition 
they  can  present  to  God, 
and  being  a  good  advantage 
for  attending  their  prepara- 
tion to  the  solemn  duty  and 
their  demeanour  in  it.  It 
is  S.  PauVs  counsel,  that 
hy  consent  for  a  time  tliey 
should  abstain,  that  they 
Tiiay  give  themselves  to 
fasting  and  prayer^'.  And 
though  when  Christians  did 


receive  the  holy  Communion 
every  day,  it  is  certain  they 
did  not  abstain,  but  had 
children  :  yet  when  the 
Communion  was  more  sel- 
dom, they  did  with  religion 
abstain  from  the  marriage- 
bed  during  the  time  of  their 
solemn  preparatory  devo- 
tions "J,  as  anciently  they  did 
from  eating  and  drinking 
till  the  solemnity  of  the  day 
was  past. 

6.  It  were  well  if  married 
persons  would  in  their  peni- 
tential prayers  and  in  their 
general  confessions  suspect 
themselves,  and  accordingly 
ask  a  general  pardon  for  all 
their  indecencies  and  more 
passionate  applications  of 
themselves  in  the  offices  of 
marriage  :  that  what  is  law- 
ful and  honoiu-able  in  its 
kind  may  not  be  sullied 
with  imperfect  circumstan- 
ces ;  or  if  it  be,  it  may  be 
made  clean  again  by  the 
interruption  and  recallings 
of  such  a  repentance  of 
which  such  uncertain  parts 
of  action  are  capable. 

But   because   of   all   the 


"  De  Conjug.  prsecept.  p  1  Cor.  vii.  5. 

q  Hoc  etiam  ex  more  Christianornm  Tertul.  suadens  foeminis  Chris- 
tianis  n^  Paganis  nubant,  ait,  Quis  denique  golennibas  Paschae  abnoc- 
tantem  securus  sustinebit?  Tertul.  ad  Uxor.,  2.  1.  Et  ex  more  etiam 
Gontilium.  Phtt.  sympos.  3.  q.  6.  Nobis  autera,  si  leges  civitatis  rect^ 
colimus,  cavendum  est,  n^  ad  templa  et  sacrificia  accedamus,  paulo  aiit^ 
re  venerr/i  usi.  Itaqne  expedit  nocte  et  somno  interjecto,  justoque  inter- 
vallo  adhibito,  mundos  rursum  quasi  de  integro,  et  ad  novum  diem  nova 
cogitantcs  (ut  ait  Democritus)  Burgere. 


OP  CHASTITY. 


dangers  of  a  Christian  none 
more  pressing  and  trouble- 
some than  the  temptations 
to  lust,  no  enemy  more  dan- 
gerous than  that  of  the  flesh, 
no  accounts  greater  than 
what  we  have  to  reckon  for 
at  the  audit  of  concupi- 
scence, therefore  it  concerns 
all  that  would  be  safe  from 
this  death  to  arm  themselves 
by  the  following  rules,  to 
prevent  or  to  cure  all  the 
wounds  of  our  flesh  made  by 
the  poisoned  arrows  of  lust. 

Reinedies  against    Un- 
clean7iess. 

1.  When  a  temptation  of 
lust  assaults  thee,  do  not 
resist  it  by  heaping  up  ar- 
guments against  it,  and 
disputing  with  it,  consider- 
ing its  oflers  and  its  danger, 
but  fi)/  from  it^,  that  is, 
think  not  at  all  of  it  ;  lay 
aside  all  consideration  con- 
cerning it,  and  turn  away 
from  it  by  any  severe  and 
laudable  thought  of  business. 
8aint  Hierome  very  wittily 
reproves  the  Gentile  super- 
stition, who  pictured  the 
Virgin  Deities  armed  with 
a  shield  and  lance,  as  if 
chastity  could   not   be   de- 

'  Contra  libidinis    impetum   apprehende  fugam,  si  vis    obtinere  vie- 
toriam.     5.  Aug. 

*  Quisquis  in  primo  obstitit 

Repuli'tque  amorein,  tutus  ac  victor  fuit; 


fended  without  war  and 
direct  contention.  No ;  this 
enemy  is  to  be  treated  other- 
wise. If  you  hear  it  speak, 
though  but  to  dispute  with 
it,  it  ruins  you  ;  and  the 
very  arguments  you  go  about 
to  answer,  leave  a  relish 
upon  the  tongue.  A  man 
may  be  burned  if  he  goes 
near  the  fire,  though  but  to 
quench  his  house;  and  by 
handling  pitch,  though  but 
to  draw  it  from  your  clothes, 
you  defile  your  fingers. 

2.  Avoid  idleness,  and  fill 
up  all  the  spaces  of  thy  time 
with  severe  and  useful  em- 
ployment :  for  lust  usually 
creeps  in  at  those  empti- 
nesses where  the  soul  is  un- 
employed and  the  body  is 
at  ease.  For  no  easy, 
healthful,  and  idle  person 
was  ever  chaste,  if  he  could 
be  tempted.  But  of  all  em- 
ployments, bodily  labour  is 
most  useful  and  of  greatest 
benefit  for  the  driving  away 
the  Devil. 

3.  Give  no  entertainment 
to  the  beginnings,  the  first 
motions  and  secret  whispers, 
of  the  spirit  of  impurity. 
For  if  you  totally  suppress 
it,  it  dies* :  if  you  permit  the 


Qui  blandiendo  dulee  nutrivit  malum, 
Sero  recusat  ferre,  quod  snbiit,  jugnm. 
£2 


■Senec.  EippoJ.,  134. 


76 


OP  CHASTITY. 


furnace  to  breathe  its  smoke 
and  flame  out  at  any  vent, 
it  will  rage  to  the  consump- 
tion of  the  whole.  This 
cockatrice  is  soonest  crushed 
in  the  shell ;  but  if  it  grows, 
it  turns  to  a  serpent,  and  a 
dragon,  and  a  devil. 

4.  Corpoi'ol  mortification 
and  hard  usages  of  our  body 
hath  by  all  ages  of  the 
Church  been  accounted  a 
good  instrument  and  of 
some  profit  against  the 
spirit  of  fornication.  A 
spare  diet,  and  a  thin 
coarse  table,  seldom  re- 
freshment, frequent  fasts, 
not  violent  and  interrupted 
with  returns  to  ordinary 
feeding,  but  "constantly  lit- 
tle, unpleasant,  of  whole- 
some but  sparing  nourish- 
ment :  for  by  such  cutting 
off  the  provisions  of  vic- 
tual we  shall  weaken  the 
strengths  of  our  enemy. 
To  which  if  we  add  lyings 
upon  the  ground,  painful 
postures  in  prayer,  reciting 
our  devotions  with  our  arms 
extended  at  full  length, 
like  Moses  praying  against 
Amalek,  or  our  blessed  Sa- 
viour hanging  upon  His 
painful  bed  of  sorrows,  the 


Cross,  and  (if  the  lust  be 
upon  us  and  sharply  tempt- 
ing) by  inflicting  any  smart 
to  overthrow  the  strongest 
passion  by  the  most  violent 
pain,  we  shall  find  great 
ease  for  the  present,  and  the 
resolution  and  apt  sufferance 
against  the  future  danger. 
And  this  was  >S'.  PauVs  re- 
medy ',  /  bring  my  body  un- 
der, he  used  some  rudenesses 
towards  it.  But  it  was  a 
great  nobleness  of  chastity 
which  S.  Hierome  reports  of 
a  son  of  the  king  of  Nico- 
media ",  who,  being  tempted 
upon  flowers  and  a  perfumed 
bed  with  a  soft  violence, 
but  yet  tied  down  to  the 
temptation,  and  solicited 
with  circumstances  oi  Asian 
luxury  by  an  impure  cour- 
tesan, lest  the  easiness  of 
his  posture  should  abuse 
him,  spit  out  his  tongue 
into  her  face  :  to  represent 
that  no  virtue  hath  cost  the 
saints  V  so  much  as  this  of 
chastity. 

5.  Fly  from  all  occasions, 
temptations,  loosenesses  of 
company,  balls  and  revel- 
lings,  indecent  mixtures  of 
wanton  dancings,  idle  talk, 
private  society  with  strange 


t  1  Cor.  ix.  27.  "  In  vita  S.  Pauli. 

'•■  Benedictus  in  spinis  se  volutavit.  9.  Martinianus  faciem  et  manns. 

S.  Johannes  cognomento  Bonus,  calamos  acutos  inter  ungues  et  camera 

digitorura  intrnsit.      8.  Theoctistus  in  silvis  more  ferarum  vixit,  ne  inter 

Arabes  pollueretur. 


OF  CHASTITY. 


77 


women,  starings  upon  a 
beauteous  face,  the  com- 
pany of  women  that  are 
singers,  amorous  gestures, 
garish  and  wanton  dress- 
ings, feasts  and  liberty,  ban- 
quets and  perfumes,  wine 
and  strong  drinks,  which  are 
made  to  persecute  chastity ; 
some  of  these  being  the  very 
prologues  to  lust,  and  the 
most  innocent  of  them  being 
but  like  condited  or  pickled 
mushrooms,  which,  if  care- 
fully corrected  and  seldom 
tasted,  may  be  harmless,  but 
can  never  do  good.  Ever 
remembering,  that  it  is 
easier  to  die  for  chastity 
than  to  live  with  it ;  and 
the  hangman  could  not  ex- 
tort a  consent  from  some 
persons,  from  whom  a  lover 
would  have  intreated  it. 
For  the  glory  of  chastity 
will  easily  overcome  the 
rudeness  of  fear  and  vio- 
lence ;  but  easiness  and 
softness  and  smooth  temp- 
tations creep  in  and  like  the 
sun  make  a  maiden  lay  by 
her  veil  .and  robe,  which 
persecution  like  the  north- 
ern wind  made  her  hold  fast 
and  clap  close  about  her. 

6.  He  that  will  secure  his 
chastity,  must  first  cure  his 
pride  and  his  rage.  For 
oftentimes  lust  is  the  pun- 
ishment of' a  proud  man,  to 
'^  2  Cor. 


tame  the  vanity  of  his  pride 
by  the  shame  and  affronts  of 
unchastity :  and  the  same 
intemperate  heat  that  makes 
anger,  does  enkindle  lust. 

7.  If  thou  beest  assaulted 
with  an  unclean  spirit,  trust 
not  thyself  alone;  but  run 
forth  into  company,  whose 
reverence  and  modesty  may 
suppress,  or  whose  society 
may  divert,  thy  thoughts  : 
and  a  j^erpetual  witness  of 
thy  conversation  is  of  es- 
pecial use  against  this  vice, 
which  evaporates  in  the 
open  air  like  camphire, 
being  impatient  of  light 
and  witnesses. 

8.  Use  frequent  and  ear- 
nest prayers  to  the  King  of 
Purities,  the  first  of  virgins, 
the  eternal  God,  who  is  of 
an  essential  purity,  that  He 
would  bs  pleased  to  reprove 
and  cast  out  the  unclean 
spirit.  For  besides  the 
blessings  of  prayer  by  way 
of  reward,  it  hath  a  natural 
virtue  to  restrain  this  vice  : 
because  a  prayer  against  it 
is  an  unwillingness  to  act  it ; 
and  so  long  as  we  heartily 
pray  against  it,  our  desires 
are  secured,  and  then  this 
devil  hath  no  power.  This 
was  Saint  Paid's  other  re- 
medy: For  this  cause  I 
besought  the  Lord  thrice"^'. 
And  there  is  much  reason 

xii.  8. 


78 


OF  chastitt; 


and  much  advantage  in  the 
use  of  this  instrument  ;  be- 
cause the  main  thing  that 
in  this  affair  is  to  be  secured, 
is  a  man's  mind.  He  that 
goes  about  to  cure  lust  by 
bodily  exercises  alone  (as 
S.  PauVs  phrase  is  ^)  or  mor- 
tifications, shall  find  them 
sometimes  instrumental  to 
it,  and  incitations  of  sudden 
desires ;  but  always  insuf- 
ficient and  of  little  profit: 
but  he  that  hath  a  chaste 
mind  shall  find  his  body  apt 
enough  to  take  laws ;  and 
let  it  do  its  worst,  it  cannot 
make  a  sin,  and  in  its  great- 
est violence  can  but  produce 
a  little  natural  uneasiness, 
not  so  much  trouble  as  a  se- 
vere fasting-day,  or  a  hard 
night's  lodging  upon  boards. 
If  a  man  be  hungry  he  must 
eat,  and  if  he  be  thirsty  he 
must  drink  in  some  conve- 
nient time,  or  else  he  dies  : 
but  if  the  body  be  rebellious, 
so  the  mind  be  chaste,  let  it 
do  its  worst,  if  you  resolve 
perfectly  not  to  satisfy  it, 
you  can  receive  no  great 
evil  by  it.  Therefore  the 
proper  cure  is  by  applica- 
tions to  the  spirit,  and  se- 
curities of  the  mind,  which 


can  no  way  so  well  be  se- 
cured as  by  frequent  and 
fervent  prayers,  and  sober 
resolutions,  and  severe  dis- 
courses.    Therefore, 

9.  Hither  bring  in  suc- 
cour from  consideration  of 
the  Divine  presence,  and  of 
His  holy  angels,  meditation 
of  death,  and  the  passions 
of  Christ  upon"  the  Cross, 
imitation  of  His  purities, 
and  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
His  unspotted  and  holy 
mother,  and  of  such  emi- 
nent saints,  who  in  their 
generations  were  burning 
and  shining  lights,  un- 
mingled  with  such  un- 
cleannesses  which  defile  the 
soul,  and  who  now  follow 
the  Lamb  whithersoever  He 
goes^. 

10.  These  remedies  are 
of  universal  efificacy  in  all 
cases  extraordinary  and  vio- 
lent ;  but  in  ordinary  and 
common,  the  remedy  which 
God  hath  provided,  that  is, 
honowahle  marriage^,  hath 
a  natural  efficacy,  besides  a 
virtue  by  Divine  blessing, 
to  cure  the  inconveniences 
which  otherwise  might  af- 
flict persons  temperate  and 
sober. 


1  Rev.  xiv.  4. 


Heb.  xiii. 


OF  HUMILITY. 


79 


Sect.  IV. 


Of  Humility. 


Humility  is  the  great 
ornament  and  jewel  of 
Christian  Religion  ;  that, 
whereby  it  is  distinguished 
from  all  the  wisdom  of  the 
world  ;  it  not  having  been 
taught  by  the  wise  men  of 
the  Gentiles,  but  first  put 
into  a  discipline,  and  made 
part  of  a  Religion,  by  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  pro- 
pounded Himself  imitable  by 
His  Disciples  so  signally  in 
nothing  as  in  the  twin  sisters 
of  JMeekness  and  Humility. 
Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am  meek 
and  humble,  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  unto  your  Souls^. 

For  all  the  World,  all  that 
we  are,  and  all  that  we  have, 
our  bodies  and  our  Souls, 
oiu'  actions  and  our  suffer- 
ings, our  conditions  at  home, 
our  accidents  abroad,  our 
many  sins  and  our  seldom 
virtues,  are  as  so  many  ar- 
guments to  make  our  Souls 
dwell  low  in  the  deep  val- 
leys of  Humility. 

Arguments    against    Pride 
by  way  of  Consideration. 

1.  Our  body  is  weak  and 
impure,    sending  out   more 


uncleannesses 


from       its 

»  Matth.  xi.  29. 


several  sinks  than  could  be 
endured  if  they  were  not 
necessary  and  natural :  and 
we  are  forced  to  pass  that 
through  our  mouths,  which 
as  soon  as  we  see  upon  the 
ground,  we  loathe  like  rot- 
tenness and  vomiting. 

2.  Our  strength  is  inferior 
to  that  of  many  beasts ;  and 
our  infirmities  so  many,  that 
we  are  forced  to  dress  and 
tend  horses  and  asses,  that 
they  may  help  our  needs, 
and  relieve  our  wants. 

3.  Our  beauty  is  in  colour 
inferior  to  many  flowers, 
and  in  proportion  of  parts 
it  is  no  better  than  nothing ; 
for  even  a  dog  hath  parts  as 
well  proportioned  and  fitted 
to  his  purposes,  and  the 
designs  of  his  nature,  as  we 
have  :  and  when  it  is  most 
florid  and  gay,  three  fits  of 
an  ague  can  change  it  into 
yellowness  and  leanness,  and 
the  hoUowness  and  wrinkles 
of  deformity. 

4.  Our  learning  is  then 
best,  when  it  teaches  most 
humility:  but  to  be  proud 
of  learning  is  the  greatest 
ignorance  in  the  world.  For 
our  learning  is  so  long  in 
getting,  and  so  very  imper- 


80 


OF  HUMILITY. 


feet,  that  the  greatest  clerk 
knows  not  the  thousandth 
part  of  what  he  is  ignorant ; 
and  knows  so  uncertainly 
what  he  seems  to  know,  and 
knows  no  otherwise  than  a 
fool  or  a  child,  even  what 
is  told  him  or  what  he 
guesses  at,  that  except  those 
things  which  concern  his 
duty,  and  which  God  hath 
revealed  to  him,  which  also 
every  woman  knows  so  far 
as  is  necessary,  the  most 
learned  man  hath  nothing 
to  be  proud  of,  unless  this 
be  a  sufficient  argument  to 
exalt  him,  that  he  uncer- 
tainly guesses  at  some  more 
unnecessary  thing  than 
many  others,  who  yet  know 
all  that  concerns  them,  and 
mind  other  things  more 
necessary  for  the  needs  of 
life  and  Commonwealths. 

5.  He  that  is  froud  of 
riches  is  afoot.  For  if  he  be 
exalted  above  his  neighbours 
because  he  hath  more  gold, 
how  much  inferior  is  he  to 
a  gold  mine  1  how  much  is 
he  to  give  place  to  a  chain 
of  pearl,  or  a  knot  of  dia- 
monds 1  for  certainly  that 
hath  the  greatest  excellence 
from  whence  he  derives  all 
his  gallantry  and  preemi- 
nence over  his  neighbours. 

6.  If  a  man  be  exalted  by 
reason  of  any  excellence  in 
his  Soul,  he  may  please  to 


remember  that  all  Souls  are 
equal ;  and  their  differing 
operations  are  because  their 
instrument  is  in  better  tune, 
their  body  is  more  healthful, 
or  better  tempered :  which 
is  no  more  praise  to  him, 
than  it  is  that  he  was  l)orn 
in  Italy. 

7.  He  that  is  proud  of  his 
birth,  is  proud  of  the  bless- 
ings of  others,  not  of  him- 
self :  for  if  his  j)arents  were 
more  eminent  in  any  cir- 
cumstance than  their  neigh- 
bours, he  is  to  thank  God, 
and  to  rejoice  in  them;  but 
still  he  may  be  a  fool,  or 
unfortunate,  or  deformed  ; 
and  when  himself  was  born, 
it  was  indifferent  to  him 
whether  his  father  were  a 
king  or  a  peasant,  for  he 
knew  not  any  thing,  nor 
chose  any  thing  :  and  most 
commonly  it  is  true,  that  he 
that  boasts  of  his  ancestors, 
who  were  the  founders  and 
raisers  of  a  noble  family, 
doth  confess  that  he  hath  in 
himself  a  less  virtue  and  a 
less  honour,  and  therefore 
that  he  is  degenerated. 

8.  Whatsoever  other  dif- 
ference there  is  between  thee 
and  thy  neighbour,  if  it  be 
bad,  it  is  thine  own,  but  thou 
hast  no  reason  to  boast  of 
thy  misery  and  shame :  if  it 
be  good,  thou  hast  received 
it  from  God ;  and  then  thou 


OF  HUMILITT. 


81 


art    more    obliged   to    pay 
duty  and   tribute,  use  and 
principal,    to   him :   and   it 
were  a  strange  folly  for  a 
man  to  be  proud  of  being 
more  in  debt  than  another. 
9.  Remember  what  thou 
wert  before   thou  wert  be- 
gotten.      Nothing.      AVhat 
wert   thou  in  the   first  re- 
gions of  thy  dwelling,  before 
thy    birth  ?      Uncleanness. 
What  wert  thou  for  many 
years      after  1      Weakness. 
What  in  all  thy  life  ?     A 
great  sinner.  What  in  all  thy 
excellencies  1  A  mere  debtor 
to     God,    to    thy    parents, 
to    the    earth,   to    all    the 
creatures.     But  we  may  if 
we  please  use  the  method  of 
the  Platonists  ^,  who  reduce 
all  the  causes  and  arguments 
for  humility  which  we  can 
take  from  oiu'selves,  to  these 
seven  heads.     1.  The  spirit 
of  a  man  is  light  and  trouble- 
some.    2.  His  body  is  bru- 
tish   and     sickly.      3.    He 
is  constant  in  his  folly  and 
error,  and  inconstant  in  his 
manners  and  good  purposes. 
4.  His    labours    are    vain, 
intricate,   and    endless.     5. 
His  fortune  is  changeable, 
but  seldom  pleasing,  never 
perfect.        6.    His    wisdom 
comes  not  till  He  be  ready 
to  die,  that  is,  till  he  be  past 
usinof   it.     7.  His   death  is 


certain ;  always  ready  at  the 
door,  but  never  far  off. 
Upon  these  or  the  like  me- 
ditations if  we  dwell,  or 
frequently  retire  to  them, 
we  shall  see  nothing  more 
reasonable  than  to  be  hum- 
ble, and  nothing  more  fool- 
ish than  to  be  proud. 

Acts  or  offices  of  Humility. 

The  grace  of  HumiKty  is 
exercised  by  these  following 
Rules. 

1.  Think  not  thyself 
better  for  any  thing  that 
happens  to  thee  from  with- 
out. For  although  thou 
mayest  by  gifts  bestowed 
upon  thee  be  better  than 
another,  as  one  horse  is  bet- 
ter than  another,  that  is  of 
more  use  to  others ;  yet  as 
thou  art  a  man,  thou  hast 
nothing  to  commend  thee  to 
thyself  but  that  only  by 
which  thou  art  a  man,  that 
is,  by  what  thou  choosest 
and  refusest. 

2.  Humility  consists  not 
in  railing  against  thyself,  or 
wearing  mean  clothes,  or 
going  softly  and  submissly : 
but  in  hearty  and  real  evil 
or  mean  opinion  of  thyself. 
Believe  thyself  an  unworthy 
person  heartily,  as  thou  be- 
lievest  thyself  to  be  hungry, 
or  poor,  or  sick,  when  thou 
art  so. 


Apuleius  de  Daemon.  Socratis. 

e3 


82 


OP  HUMILITY. 


3.  "Whatsoever  evil  thou 
sayest  of  thyself  be  content 
that  others  should  think  to 
be  true :  and  if  thou  callest 
thyself  fool,  be  not  angry  if 
another  say  so  of  thee.  For 
if  thou  thinkest  so  truly,  all 
men  in  the  world  desire 
other  men  to  be  of  their 
opinion ;  and  he  is  an  hypo- 
crite, that  accuses  himself 
before  others  with  an  intent 
not  to  be  believed.  But  he 
that  calls  himself  intempe- 
rate, foolish,  lustful,  and  is 
angry  when  his  neighbours 
call  him  so,  is  both  a  false 
and  a  proud  person. 

4.  Love  to  be  concealed, 
and  little  esteemed « :  be 
content  to  want  praise,  never 
being  troubled  when  thou 
art  slighted  or  undervalued : 
for  thou  canst  not  under- 
value thyself;  and  if  thou 
thinkest  so  meanly  as  there 
is  reason,  no  contempt  will 
seem  unreasonable,  and 
therefore  it  will  be  very 
tolerable. 

5.  Never  be  ashamed  of 
thy  birth,  or  thy  parents,  or 
thy  trade,  or  thy  present 
employment,  for  the  mean- 
ness or  poverty  of  any  of 
them :  and  when  there  is  an 
occasion  to  speak  of  them, 
such  an  occasion  as  would 
invite  you  to  speak  of  any 
thing  that  pleases  you,  omit 


it  not ;  but  sj>eak  as  readily 
and  indifferently  of  thy 
meanness  as  of  thy  great- 
ness. Primislaus  the  first 
king  of  Bohemia  kept  his 
country-shoes  always  by 
him,  to  remember  from 
whence  he  was  raised :  And 
Agathodes  by  the  furni- 
ture of  His  table  confessed, 
that  from  a  potter  he  was 
raised  to  be  the  king  of 
Sicily. 

6.  Never  speak  any  thing 
directly  tending  to  thy 
praise  or  glory ;  that  is, 
with  a  purpose  to  be  com- 
mended, and  for  no  other 
end.  If  other  ends  be  min- 
gled with  thy  honour,  as  if 
the  glory  of  God,  or  charity, 
or  necessity,  or  any  thing  of 
prudence  be  thy  end,  you 
are  not  tied  to  omit  your 
discourse  or  your  design 
that  you  may  avoid  praise  ; 
but  pursue  your  end,  though 
praise  come  along  in  the 
company.  Only  let  not 
praise  be  the  design. 

7.  When  thou  hast  said 
or  done  any  thing  for  which 
thou  receivest  praise  or  esti- 
mation, take  it  indifferently, 
and  return  it  to  God ;  re- 
flecting upon  him  as  the 
Giver  of  the  gift,  or  the 
Blesser  of  the  action,  or  the 
Aid  of  the  design :  and  give 
God  thanks  for  making  thee 


e  Ama  nesciri  et  pro  nihilo  reputari.    Gerson. 


OF  HUMILITT. 


83 


an  instrument  of  His  glory, 
or  the  benefit  of  others. 

8.  Secure  a  good  name  to 
thyself  by  living  virtuously 
and  humbly :  but  let  this 
good  name  be  nursed  abroad, 
and  never  be  brought  home 
to  look  upon  it :  let  others 
use  it  for  their  own  advan- 
tage; let  them  speak  of  it 
if  they  please  ;  but  do  not 
thou  at  all  use  it,  but  as  an 
instrument  to  do  God  glory, 
and  thy  neighbour  more  ad- 
vantage. Let  thy  face  like 
Moses's  ^  shine  to  others,  but 
make  no  looking-glasses  for 
thyself. 

9.  Take  no  content  in 
praise  when  it  is  ofiered 
thee:  but  let  thy  rejoicing 
in  God's  gift  be  allayed  with 
fear,  lest  this  good  bring 
thee  to  evil.  Use  the  praise, 
as  you  use  your  pleasure  in 
eating  and  drinking:  if  it 
comes,  make  it  do  drudgery, 
let  it  serve  other  ends,  and 
minister  to  necessities,  and 
to  caution,  lest  by  pride  you 
lose  your  just  praise  which 
you  have  deserved;  or  else 
by  being  praised  unjustly, 
you  receive  shame  into  your- 
self with  God  and  wise  men. 

10.  Use  no  stratagems  and 
devices  to  get  praise.  Some 
use  to  inquire  into  the 
faults  of  their  own  actions 


or  discourses  on  purpose  to 
hear  that  it  was  well  done 
or  spoken,  and  without  fault : 
others  bring  the  matter  into 
talkjOr  thrust  themselves  into 
company,  and  intimate  and 
give  occasion  to  be  thought 
or  spoke  of.  These  men 
make  a  bait  to  persuade 
themselves  to  swallow  the 
hook,  till  by  drinking  the 
waters  of  vanity  they  swell 
and  burst. 

11.  Make  no  suppletories 
to  thyself,  when  thou  art 
disgTaced  or  slighted,  by 
pleasing  thyself  with  sup- 
posing thou  didst  deserve 
praise,  though  they  under- 
stood thee  not,  or  enviously 
detracted  from  thee :  neither 
do  thou  get  to  thyself  a  pri- 
vate theatre  and  flatterers  e 
in  whose  vain  noises  and 
phantastic  praises  thou 
mayest  keep  up  thine  own 
good  opinion  of  thyself. 

12.  Entertain  no  fancies 
of  vanity  and  private  whis- 
pers of  this  Devil  of  pride : 
such  as  was  that  of  Nebu- 
chadnezm  r  ;  Is  not  th  is  great 
Babylon,  loliich  I  have  built 
for  the  honour  of  my  naTne, 
and  the  might  of  my  majesty, 
and  the  power  of  my  king- 
dom^ ?  Some  phantastic 
spirits  will  walk  alone,  and 
dream  waking  of  greatnesses, 


<i  Exod,  xxxiv.  29,  30  ;  2  Cor.  iii.  7, 

theatrum  sumus;  satis  unus,  satis  nullus. 


•  Alter  alteri  satis  amplum 
Sen.  f  Daa.  iv.  30. 


84 


OF  HUMILITY. 


of  palaces,  of  excellent 
orations,  full  theatres,  loud 
applauses,  sudden  advance- 
ment, great  fortunes,  and  so 
will  spend  an  hour  with 
imaginative  pleasui-e ;  all 
their  employment  being- 
nothing  but  fumes  of  pride, 
and  secret  indefinite  desires 
and  significations  of  what 
their  heart  wishes.  In  this 
although  there  is  nothing 
of  its  own  nature  directly 
vicious,  yet  it  is  either  an  ill 
mother  or  an  ill  daughter, 
an  ill  sign  or  an  ill  effect ; 
and  therefore  at  no  hand 
consisting  with  the  safety 
and  interests  of  humility. 

13.  Suffer  others  to  be 
praised  in  thy  presence,  and 
entertain  their  good  and 
glory  with  delight ;  but  at 
no  hand  disparage  them,  or 
lessen  the  report,  or  make 
an  objection ;  and  think  not 
the  advancement  of  thy 
brother  is  a  lessening  of  thy 
worth.  But  this  act  is  also 
to  extend  further. 

14.  Be  content  that  he 
should  be  employed,  and 
thou  laid  by  as  unprofitable ; 
his  sentence  approved,  thine 
rejected ;  he  be  preferred, 
and  thou  fixed  in  a  low 
employment. 

15.  Never  compare  thyself 
with  others,  unless  it  be  to 
advance  them  and  to  depress 

e  1  Tim.  i.  13, 


thyself.  To  which  purpose 
we  must  be  sure  in  some 
sense  or  other  to  think  our 
selves  the  worst  in  every 
company  where  we  come: 
one  is  more  learned  than  I 
am,  another  is  more  prudent, 
a  third  more  honourable,  a 
fourth  more  chaste,  or  he  is 
more  charitable,  or  less 
proud.  For  the  humble  man 
observes  their  good,  and  re- 
flects only  upon  his  own 
vileness ;  or  considers  the 
many  evils  of  himself  cer- 
tainly known  to  himself,  and 
the  ill  of  others  but  by  un- 
certain report:  or  he  con- 
siders that  the  evils  done  by 
another  are  out  of  much 
infirmity  or  ignorance,  but 
his  own  sins  are  against  a 
clearer  light;  and  if  the 
other  had  so  great  helps,  he 
would  have  done  more  good 
and  less  evil :  or  he  remem- 
bers that  his  old  sins  before 
his  conversion  were  greater 
in  the  nature  of  the  thing, 
or  in  certain  circumstances, 
than  the  sins  of  other  men. 
(So  S.  Paid  reckoned  him- 
self the  chiefest  of  sinners, 
because  formerly  he  had 
acted  the  chiefest  sin  of 
persecuting  the  Church  of 
Godsf.)  But  this  rule  is  to 
be  used  with  this  caution  ; 
That,  though  it  be  good 
always  to  think  meanest  of 
15  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  9. 


ourselves,  yet  it  is  not  ever 
safe  to  speak  it ;  because 
those  circumstances  and 
considerations  which  deter- 
mine thy  thoughts,  are  not 
known  to  others  as  to  thyself; 
and  it  may  concern  others, 
that  they  hear  thee  give  God 
thanks  for  the  graces  He 
hath  given  thee.  But  if 
thou  preservest  thy  thoughts 
and  opinions  of  thyself  truly 
humble,  you  may  with  more 
safety  give  God  thanks  in 
public  for  that  good  which 
cannot,  or  ought  not,  to  be 
concealed. 

16.  Be  not  always  ready 
to  excuse  every  oversight,  or 
indiscretion,  or  ill  action : 
but  if  thou  beest  guilty  of 
it,  confess  it  plainly;  for 
virtue  scorns  a  lie  for  its 
cover:  but  to  hide  a  sin 
with  it,  is  like  a  crust  of 
leprosy  drawn  upon  an 
ulcer.  If  thou  beest  not 
guilty,  (unless  it  be  scan- 
dalous) be  not  over-earnest 
to  remove  it :  but  rather  use 
it  as  an  argiunent  to  chastise 
all  greatness  of  fancy  and 
opinion  in  thyself;  and  ac- 
custom thyself  to  bear  re- 
proof patiently  and  con- 
tentedly, and  the  harsh 
words  of  thy  enemies,  as 
knowing  that  the  anger  of 
an  enemy  is  a  better  monitor, 
and  represents  our  faults  or 
J»  2  Cor. 


OF  HUMILITY.  85 

admonishes  us  of  our  duty 
with  more  heartiness,  than 
the  kindness  does  or  pre- 
cious balms  of  a  friend. 

17.  Give  God  thanks  for 
every  weakness,  deformity 
and  imperfection,  and  ac- 
cept it  as  a  favour  and 
grace  of  God,  and  an  in- 
strument to  resist  pride  and 
nurse  humility;  ever  re- 
membering, that  when  God, 
by  giving  thee  a  crooked 
back,  hath  also  made  thy 
spirit  stoop  or  less  vain,  thou 
art  more  ready  to  enter 
the  narrow  gate  of  Heaven, 
than  by  being  straight,  and 
standing  upright,  and  think- 
ing highly.  Thus  the  Apo- 
stles  rejoiced  in   their   in- 

firniities^,  not  moral,  but 
natural  and  accidental,  in 
their  being  beaten  and  whip- 
ped like  slaves,  in  their  na- 
kedness and  poverty. 

18.  Upbraid  no  man's 
weakness  to  him  to  discom- 
fort him,  neither  report  it 
to  disparage  him,  neither 
delight  to  remember  it  to 
lessen  him,  or  to  set  thyself 
above  him.  Be  sure  never 
to  praise  thyself,  or  to  dis- 
praise any  man  else,  unless 
God's  glory  or  some  holy  end 
do  hallow  it.  And  it  was 
noted  to  the  praise  of  Cyrus, 
that  amongst  his  equals  in 
age  he  would  never  play  at 

xi.  30. 


OF  HUMILITY. 


any  sport,  or  use  any  exer- 
cise in  which  he  knew  him- 
self more  excellent  than 
they :  but  in  such  in  which 
he  was  unskilful  he  would 
make  his  challenges,  lest  he 
should  shame  them  by  his  vic- 
tory, and  that  himself  might 
learn  something  of  their 
skill,  and  do  them  civilities. 

19.  Besides  the  foregoing 
parts  and  actions,  humility 
teaches  us  to  submit  our- 
selves and  all  our  faculties 
to  God,  To  believe  all  things, 
to  do  all  things,  to  suffer 
all  things  which  His  will 
enjoins  us :  to  be  content 
in  every  estate  or  change, 
knowing  we  have  deserved 
worse  than  the  worst  we 
feel  ;  and  (as  Anytus  said 
to  Alcibiades)  He  hath  taken 
])ut  half,  when  He  might 
have  taken  all  ;  to  adore 
His  goodness,  to  fear  His 
greatness,  to  worship  His 
eternal  and  infinite  excel- 
lencies ;  and  to  submit  our- 
selves to  all  our  superiors 
in  all  things  according  to 
godliness,  and  to  be  meek 
and  gentle  in  our  conversa- 
tion towards  others. 

Now  although  according 
to  the  nature  of  every  grace, 
this  begins  as  a  gift,  and  is 
increased  like  a  habit,  that 
is,  best  by  its  own  acts  ; 
yet  besides  the  former  acts 
and  offices  of  humility,  there 


are  certain  other  exercises 
and  considerations,  which 
are  good  helps  and  instru- 
ments for  the  procuring  and 
increasing  this  grace,  and 
the  curing  of  pride. 

Means  and  exercises  of  ob- 
taining and  increasing 
the  grace  of  Humility. 

1.  Make  confession  of  thy 
sins  often  to  God  ;  and  con- 
sider what  all  that  evil 
amounts  to,  which  you  then 
charge  upon  yourself.  Look 
not  upon  them  as  scattered 
in  the  course  of  a  long  life  ; 
now,  an  intemperate  anger, 
then,  too  full  a  meal  ;  now, 
idle  talking,  and  another 
time,  impatience :  but  unite 
them  into  one  continued 
representation,  and  remem- 
ber, that  he  whose  life 
seems  fair  by  reason  that 
his  faults  are  scattered  at 
large  distances  in  the  seve- 
ral parts  of  his  life,  yet  if  all 
his  errors  and  follies  were 
articled  against  him,  the 
man  would  seem  vicious  and 
miserable  :  and  possibly  this 
exercise,  really  applied  upon 
thy  spirit,  may  be  useful. 

2.  Remember,  that  we 
usually  disparage  others 
upon  slight  grounds  and 
little  instances  ;  and  to- 
wards them  one  fly  is 
enough  to  spoil  a  whole  box 
of  ointment :  and  if  a  man  be 


OF  HUMILITY 


87 


highly  commended,  we  think 
him  sufficiently  lessened, 
if  we  clap  one  sin  or  folly  or 
infirmity  into  his  account. 
Let  us  therefore  be  just  to 
ourselves,  since  we  are  so 
severe  to  others  ;  and  con- 
sider, that  whatsoever  good 
any  one  can  think  or  say  of 
us,  we  can  tell  him  of  hun- 
dreds of  base  and  unworthy 
and  foolish  actions,  any  one 
of  which  were  enough  (we 
hope)  to  destroy  another's 
reputation.  Therefore  let 
so  many  be  sufficient  to  de- 
stroy our  over-high  thoughts 
of  ourselves. 

3.  When  thy  neighbour 
is  cried  up  by  public  fame 
and  popular  noises  ;  that 
we  may  disparage  and  les- 
sen him,  we  cry  out  that  the 
people  is  a  herd  of  unlearned 
and  ignorant  persons,  ill 
judges,  loud  trumpets,  but 
which  never  give  certain 
sound  :  let  us  use  the  same 
art  to  humble  ourselves,  and 
never  take  delight  and  plea- 
sure in  public  reports,  and 
acclamations  of  assemblies, 
and  please  ourselves  with 
their  judgment,  of  whom  in 
other  the  like  cases  we  affirm 
that  they  are  mad. 

4.  We  change  our  opinion 
of  others  by  their  kindness 
or  unkindness  towards  us. 
If  he  be  my  patron  and 
bounteous,  he  is  wise,  he  is 


noble,  his  faults  are  but 
warts,  his  virtues  are  moun- 
tainous :  but  if  he  proves 
unkind  or  rejects  our  im- 
portunate suit,  then  he  is 
illnatured,  covetous,  and  his 
free  meal  is  called  gluttony : 
that  which  before  we  called 
civility,  is  now  very  drunken- 
ness ;  and  all  he  speaks  is 
fiat  and  dull,  and  ignorant 
as  a  swine.  This  indeed  is 
unjust  towards  others,  but  a 
good  instrument,  if  we  turn 
the  edge  of  it  upon  our- 
selves. We  use  ourselves 
ill,  abusing  ourselves  with 
false  principles,  cheating 
ourselves  with  lies  and  pre- 
tences, stealing  the  choice 
and  election  from  our  wills, 
placing  voluntary  ignorance 
in  oiu:  understandings,  de- 
nying the  deshes  of  the 
spirit,  setting  up  a  faction 
against  every  noble  and  just 
desire  ;  the  least  of  which 
because  we  should  resent  up 
to  reviling  the  injurious  per- 
son, it  is  but  reason  we 
should  at  least  not  fiatter 
ourselves  with  fond  and  too 
kind  opinions. 

5.  Every  day  call  to  mind 
some  one  of  thy  foulest  sins, 
or  the  most  shameful  of  thy 
disgraces,  or  the  indiscreet- 
est  of  thy  actions,  or  any 
thing  that  did  then  most 
trouljle  thee,  and  apply  it  to 
the  present  swelling  of  thy 


88 


OF  HUMILITY. 


spirit  and  opinion,  and  it 
may  help  to  allay  it. 

6.  Pray  often  for  His 
grace  with  all  humility  of 
gesture  and  passion  of  de- 
sire, and  in  thy  devotion  in- 
terpose many  acts  of  humi- 
lity by  way  of  confession 
and  address  to  God,  and  re- 
flection upon  thyself. 

7.  Avoid  great  offices 
and  employments,  and  the 
noises  of  worldly  honour. 
For  in  those  states  many 
times  so  many  ceremonies 
and  circumstances  will  seem 
necessary,  as  will  destroy 
the  sobriety  of  thy  thoughts. 
If  the  number  of  thy  ser- 
vants be  fewer,  and  their 
observances  less,  and  their 
reverences  less  solemn,  pos- 
sibly they  will  seem  less 
than  thy  dignity  :  and  if 
they  be  so  much  and  so 
many,  it  is  likely  they  will 
be  too  big  for  thy  spirit. 
And  here  be  thou  very  care- 
ful, lest  thou  be  abused  by 
a  pretence  that  thou  woidd- 
est  use  thy  great .  dignity 
as  an  opportunity  of  doing 
great  good.  For  supposing 
it  might  be  good  for  others, 
yet  it  is  not  good  for  thee  : 
they  may  have  encourage- 
ment in  noble  things  from 
thee,  and  by  the  same  instru- 
ment thou  mayest  thyself 
be  tempted  to  pride  and 
vanity.     And  certain  it  is, 


God  is  as  much  glorified  by 
thy  example  of  humility  in 
a  low  or  temperate  condi- 
tion, as  by  thy  bounty  in  a 
great  and  dangerous. 

8.  JVIake  no  reflex  acts  upon 
thy  own  humility,  nor  upon 
any  other  grace  with  which 
God  hath  enriched  thy  soul. 
For  since  God  oftentimes 
hides  from  His  saints  and 
servants  the  sight  of  those 
excellent  things  by  which 
they  shine  to  others  (though 
the  dark  side  of  the  lantern 
be  toward  themselves)  that 
He  may  secure  the  grace  of 
humility  ;  it  is  good  that 
thou  do  so  thyself :  and  if 
thou  beholdest  a  grace  of 
God  in  thee,  remember  to 
give  Him  thanks  for  it,  that 
thou  mayest  not  boast  in 
that  which  is  none  of  thy 
own  :  and  consider  how  thou 
hast  sullied  it,  by  handling 
it  with  dirty  fingers,  with 
thy  own  imperfections,  and 
with  mixture  of  unhand- 
some circumstances.  Spiri- 
tual pride  is  very  dangerous, 
not  only  by  reason  it  spoils 
so  many  graces  by  which  we 
drew  nigh  unto  the  king- 
dom of  God,  but  also  because 
it  so  frequently  creeps  upon 
the  spirit  of  holy  persons. 
For  it  is  no  wonder  for  a 
beggar  to  call  himself  poor, 
or  a  drunkard  to  confess 
that  he  is  no  sober  person  : 


OF  HUMILITY. 


89 


but  for  a  holy  person  to  be 
humble,  for  one  whom  all 
men  esteem  a  Saint,  to  fear 
lest  himself  become  a  Devil, 
and  to  observe  his  own  dan- 
ger, and  to  discern  his  own 
infirmities,  and  make  dis- 
covery of  his  bad  adheren- 
cies,  is  as  hard  as  for  a 
prince  to  submit  himself  to 
be  guided  by  tutors,  and 
make  himself  subject  to  dis- 
cipline like  the  meanest  of 
his  servants. 

9.  Often  meditate  upon 
the  effects  of  Pride  on  one 
side,  and  Humility  on  the 
other.  First,  That  Pride  is 
like  a  canker,  and  destroys 
the  beauty  of  the  fairest 
flowers,  the  most  excellent 
gifts  and  graces  ;  but  Hu- 
mility crowns  them  all. 
Secondly,  That  Pride  is  a 
great  hinderance  to  the  per- 
ceiving the  things  of  God  ; 
and  Humility  is  an  excel- 
lent preparative  and  instru- 
ment of  spiritual  wisdom  i. 
Thirdly,  That  Pride  hin- 
ders the  acceptation  of  our 
prayers  ;  but  Humilitjj 
inercetli  the  clouds,  and  will 
not  depart  till  the  most  High 
shall  regard.  Fourthly, 
That  Humility  is  but  a 
speaking  truth,  and  all 
Pride  is  a  lie.  Fifthly, 
That  Humility  is  the  most 
certain  way  to  real  honour. 


and  Pride  is  ever  affronted 
or  despised.  Sixthly,  That 
Pride  turned  Lucifer  into 
a  Devil,  and  Humility  ex- 
alted the  Son  of  God  above 
every  Name,  and  placed 
Him  eternally  at  the  right 
hand  of  His  Father.  Seventh- 
ly, that  God  resisteth  the 
proud,  professing  open  de- 
fiance and  hostility  against 
such  persons  ;  but  giveth 
grace  to  the  humhle^:  *  Grace 
and  pardon,  *  remedy  and 
relief  against  misery  and 
oppression,  *  content  in  all 
conditions,  *  tranquillity  of 
spirit,  *  patience  in  afflic- 
tions, *  love  abroad,  *  peace 
at  home,  *  and  utter  free- 
dom from  contention  and 
'**'  the  sin  of  censuring  others 
*  and  the  trouble  of  being 
censured  themselves.  For  the 
humble  man  will  not  judge 
his  brother  for  the  mote  in 
his  et/e,  being  more  troubled 
at  the  beam  in  his  own 
eye  "^ ;  and  is  patient  and 
glad  to  be  reproved,  because 
himself  hath  cast  the  first 
stone  at  himself,  and  there- 
fore wonders  not  that  others 
are  of  his  mind. 

10.  Remember  that  the 
blessed  Saviour  of  the  world 
hath  done  more  to  prescribe, 
and  transmit,  and  secure 
this  grace  than  any  other' ; 
His  whole  life  being  a  great 


Matt.xi.25.  JJamesiv.6.        ^  jiatt.vii.  3 — 5.        i  John  xiii.  15. 


90 


OF  HUMILITY. 


continued  example  of  hu- 
mility, a  vast  descent  from 
the  glorious  bosom  of  His 
Father  to  the  womb  of  a 
poor  maiden,  to  the  form  of 
a  servant,  to  the  miseries  of 
a  sinner,  to  a  life  of  labour, 
to  a  state  of  poverty,  to  a 
death  of  malefactors,  to  the 
grave  of  death,  and  the  in- 
tolerable calamities  which 
we  deserved  :  and  it  were  a 
good  design,  and  yet  but 
reasonable,  that  we  should 
be  as  humble  in  the  midst 
of  our  greatest  imperfec- 
tions and  basest  sins,  as 
Christ  was  in  the  midst  of 
His  fulness  of  the  Spirit, 
great  wisdom,  perfect  life, 
and  most  admirable  virtues. 

11.  Drive  away  all  flat- 
terers from  thy  company 
and  at  no  hand  endure 
them  ;  for  he  that  endures 
himself  so  to  be  abused  by 
another,  is  not  only  a  fool 
for  entertaining  the  mock- 
ery, but  loves  to  have  his 
own  opinion  of  himself  to 
be  heightened  and  che- 
rished. 

12.  Never  change  thy 
employment  for  the  sudden 
coming  of  another  to  thee. 
But  if  modesty  permits  or 
discretion,  appear  to  him 
that  visits  thee  the  same 
that  thou  wert  to  God  and 
thyself  in  thy  privacy.  But 
if    thou  wert    walking    or 


sleeping,  or  in  any  other 
innocent  employment  or  re- 
tirement, snatch  not  up  a 
book  to  seem  studious,  nor 
fall  on  thy  knees  to  seem 
devout,  nor  alter  any  thing 
to  make  him  believe  thee 
better  employed  than  thou 
wert. 

13.  To  the  same  purpose 
it  is  of  great  use,  that  he 
who  would  preserve  his  hu- 
mility, should  choose  some 
spiritual  person  to  whom  he 
shall  oblige  himself  to  dis- 
cover his  very  thoughts  and 
fancies,  every  act  of  his 
and  all  his  intercourse  with 
others  in  which  there  may 
be  danger  ;  that  by  such  an 
openness  of  spirit  he  may 
expose  every  blast  of  vain- 
glory, every  idle  thought, 
to  be  chastened  and  lessened 
by  the  rod  of  spiritual  dis- 
cipline :  and  he  that  shall 
find  himself  tied  to  confess 
every  proud  thought,  every 
vanity  of  his  spirit,  will  also 
perceive  they  must  not 
dwell  with  him,  nor  find 
any  kindness  from  him : 
and  besides  this,  the  nature 
of  pride  is  so  shameful  and 
unhandsome,  that  the  very 
discovery  of  it  is  a  huge 
mortification  and  means  of 
suppressing  it.  A  man 
would  be  ashamed  of  being 
told  that  he  enquires  after 
the  faults  of  his  last  oration 


OF  HUMILITY. 


91 


or  action  on  purpose  to  be 
commended  :  and  therefore 
tvlien  the  man  shall  tell  his 
spiritual  Guide  the  same 
shameful  story  of  himself, 
it  is  very  likely  he  will 
be  humbled,  and  heartily 
ashamed  of  it. 

14.  Let  every  man  sup- 
pose what  opinion  he  should 
have   of   one,   that    should 
spend  his  time  in  playing 
Avith  drum-sticks  and  cockle- 
shells, and  that  should  wran- 
gle all  day  long  with  a  little 
boy  for  pins,  or  should  study 
hard  and  labour  to  cozen  a 
child  of  his  gauds  ;  and  who 
would  run  into  a  river  deep 
and  dangerous  Avith  a  great 
burden  upon  his  back,  even 
then  when  he  were  told  of 
the   danger,  and   earnestly 
importuned  not  to  do  it  ? 
and  let  him  but  change  the 
instances   and    the    person, 
and  he  shall  find  that  he 
hath    the    same   reason   to 
think  as  bad  of  himself,  who 
pursues  trifles  with  earnest- 
ness, spending  his  time  in 
vanity,  and  his  labour  for 
that  ivhich  profits  not '^;  who 
knowing  the  laws  of  God, 
the  rewards  of  virtue,  the 
cursed  consequents  of  sin, 
that  it  is  an  evil  spirit  that 
tempts  him  to  it,  a  Devil, 
one   that    hates  him,   that 
longs    extremely    to     ruin 

■"  Isai. 


him,  that  it  is  his  own  de- 
struction that  he  is  then 
working,  that  the  pleasures 
of  his  sin  are  base  and 
brutish,  unsatisfying  in  the 
enjoyment,  soon  over,  shame- 
ful in  their  story,  bitter  in 
the  memory,  painful  in  the 
effect  here,  and  intolerable 
hereafter,  and  for  ever  ;  yet, 
in  despite  of  all  this,  he 
runs  foolishly  into  his  sin 
and  his  ruin,  merely  be- 
cause he  is  a  fool,  and  winks 
hard,  and  rushes  violently 
like  a  horse  into  the  battle, 
or  like  a  madman  to  his 
death.  He  that  can  think 
great  and  good  things  of 
such  a  person,  the  next  step 
may  court  the  rack  for  an 
instrument  of  pleasure,  and 
admire  a  swine  for  wisdom, 
and  go  for  counsel  to  the 
prodigal  and  trifling  grass- 
hopper. 

After  the  use  of  these  and 
such  like  instruments  and 
considerations,  if  you  would 
try  how  your  soul  is  grown, 
you  shall  know  that  humi- 
lity, like  the  root  of  a  goodly 
tree,  is  thrust  very  far  into 
the  ground,  by  these  goodly 
fruits  which  appear  above 
ground. 

Sig7is  of  Humility. 

1.  The  humble  man  trusts 
not  to  his  own  discretion, 
iv.  2. 


92 


OF  HUMILITY. 


but  in  matters  of  concern- 
ment relies  rather  upon  the 
judgment    of    his    friends, 
counsellors,      or      spiritual 
guides.      2.   He    does    not 
pertinaciously    pursue    the 
choice  of  his  own  will,  but 
in  all  things  lets  God  choose 
for  him,  and  his  superiors 
in  those  things  which  con- 
cern them.     3.  He  does  not 
murmur  against  commands. 
4.  He  is  not  inquisitive  into 
the  reasonableness  of  indif- 
ferent   and    innocent   com- 
mands,   but   believes    their 
command     to     be     reason 
enough    in    such    cases   to 
exact  his  obedience.    5.  He 
lives   according   to  a   rule, 
and    with     compliance     to 
public  customs,  without  any 
affectation    or    singularity. 
6.  He   is  meek   and   indif- 
ferent in  all  accidents  and 
chances.     7.   He    patiently 
bears   injuries".     8.   He    is 
always    unsatisfied    in    his 
own     conduct,     resolutions 
and   counsels.     9.  He  is   a 
great   lover   of    good   men, 
and  a  praiser  of  wise  men, 
and  a  censurer  of  no  man. 


10.  He  is  modest  m  his 
speech,  and  reserved  in  his 
laughter.  11.  He  fears  when 
he  hears  himself  commended, 
lest  God  make  another  judg- 
ment concerning  his  actions 
than  men  do.  12.  He  gives 
no  pert  or  saucy  answers 
when  he  is  reproved,  whe- 
ther    justly     or     unjustly. 

13.  He  loves  to  sit  down 
in  private  ;  and,  if  he  may, 
he  refuses  the  temptation 
of  offices  and  new  honours. 

14.  He  is  ingenuous,  free 
and  open  in  his  actions  and 
discourses.  15.  He  mends 
his  fault,  and  gives  thanks 
when  he  is  admonished. 
16.  He  is  ready  to  do  good 
offices  to  the  murderers  of 
his  fame,  to  his  slanderers, 
backbiters  and  detractors, 
as  Christ  washed  the  feet 
of  Judas.  17.  And  is  con- 
tented to  be  suspected  of 
indiscretion,  so  before  God 
he  may  be  really  innocent, 
and  not  offensive  to  his 
neighbour,  nor  wanting  to 
his  just  and  prudent  in- 
terest. 


Sect.  V. 

Of  Modesty. 

Modesty  is  the  appendage  [  and  to  Humility,  as  the 
of  Sobriety,  and  is  to  i  fringes  are  to  a  garment. 
Chastity,     to     Temperance,  '  It  is  a  grace  of  God  that 

"  Verum  humilem  patientia  ostendit.  5.  Hier. 


OF  MODESTY. 


93 


moderates  the  over-activc- 
ncss  and  curiosity  of  the 
mind,  and  orders  the  pas- 
sions of  the  body  and  ex- 
ternal actions,  and  is  direct- 
ly opposed  to  Curiosity,  to 
Boldness,  to  Indecency.  The 
practice  of  Modesty  con- 
sists in  these  following 
Rules. 

Acts  and  duties  of  Modesty 
as  it  is  opposed  to  Curiosity. 

1,  Inquire  not  into  the 
secrets  of  God",  but  be  con- 
tent to  learn  thy  duty  ac- 
cording to  the  quality  of 
thy  person  or  employment : 
that  is  plainly,  if  thou  beest 
not  concerned  in  the  con- 
duct of  others  ;  but  if  thou 
beest  a  teacher,  learn  it  so 
as  may  best  enable  thee  to 
discharge  thy  office.  God's 
Commandments  were  pro- 
claimed to  all  the  world ; 
but  God's  counsels  arc  to 
Himself  and  to  His  secret 
ones,  when  they  are  ad- 
mitted within  the  veil  p. 

2.  Inquire  not  into  the 
things  which  are  too  hard 
for  thee,  but  learn  modestly 
to  know  thy  infirmities  and 
abilities  ;  and  raise  not  thy 
mind  up  to  inquire  into 
mysteries  of  State,  or  the 
secrets  of  government,  or 
difficulties  Theological,  if 
thy  employment  really  be. 


or  thy  understanding  be 
judged  to  be,  of  a  lower 
rank. 

3.  Let  us  not  inquire 
into  the  affiiirs  of  others, 
that  concern  us  not ;  but 
be  busied  within  ourselves 
and  our  own  spheres  :  ever 
remembering,  that  to  pry 
into  the  actions  or  interests 
of  other  men  not  under  our 
charge,  may  minister  to 
pride,  to  tyranny,  to  un- 
charitableness,  to  trouble, 
but  can  never  consist  with 
modesty,  unless  where  duty 
or  the  mere  intentions  of 
charity  and  relation  do 
warrant  it. 

4.  Never  listen  at  the 
doors  or  windows  i :  for  be- 
sides that  it  contains  in  it 
danger  and  a  snare,  it  is 
also  an  invading  my  neigh- 
bour's privacy,  and  a  laying 
that  open  which  he  there- 
fore inclosed  that  it  might 
not  be  open.  Never  ask 
what  he  carries  covered  so 
curiously ;  for  it  is  enough 
that  it  is  covered  curiously. 
Hither  also  is  reducible  that 
we  never  open  letters  with- 
out public  authority,  or 
reasonably  presumed  leave, 
or  great  necessity,  or  cha- 
rity. 

Every  man  hath  in  his 
own  life  sins  enough,  in  his 
own  mind  trouble  enough 


Ecclus.  iii.  21,  22,  23. 


P  Prov.  XXV.  2. 


^   Eccles.  vii.  21, 


94 


OF  MODESTY. 


in  his  own  fortune  evils 
enough,  and  in  performance 
of  his  offices  failings  more 
than  enough,  to  entertain 
his  own  inquiry :  so  that 
curiosity  after  the  affairs 
of  others  cannot  be  without 
envy  and  an  evil  mind. 
What  is  it  to  me  if  my 
neighbour's  grandfatherwere 
a  Si/rian  or  his  grandmother 
illegitimate ;  or  that  another 
is  indebted  five  thousand 
pounds  ;  or  whether  his  wife 
be  expensive  ?  But  com- 
monly curious  persons  or 
(as  the  Apostle's  phrase 
is"^)  husy-hodies  are  not  soli- 
citous or  inquisitive  into 
the  beauty  and  order  of  a 
w^ell-governed  family,  or 
after  the  virtues  of  an  ex- 
cellent person  ;  but  if  there 
be  any  thing  for  which  men 
keep  locks  and  bars  and 
porters,  things  that  blush 
to  see  the  light,  and  either 
are  shameful  in  manners, 
or  private  in  nature,  these 
things  are  their  care  and 
their  business.  *  But  if  great 
things  will  satisfy  our  in- 
quiry, the  course  of  the 
sun  and  moon,  the  spots  in 
their  faces,  the  firmament 
of  Heaven  and  the  supposed 
orbs,  the  ebbing  and  flowing 
of  the  sea,  are  work  enough 
for  us :  or  if  this  be  not, 
let   him   tell    me,   whether 


the  number  of  the  stars  be 
even  or  odd,  and  when  they 
began  to  be  so ;  since  some 
ages  have  discovered  new 
stars  which  the  former  knew 
not,  but  might  have  seen 
if  they  had  been  where  now 
they  are  fixed.  *lf  these 
be  too  troublesome,  search 
lower,  and  tell  me,  why  this 
turf  this  year  brings  forth 
a  daisy,  and  the  next  year 
a  plantain ;  why  the  apple 
bears  his  seed  in  his  heart, 
and  wheat  bears  it  in  his 
head :  let  him  tell,  why  a 
graft  taking  nourishment 
from  a  crab-stock  shall  have 
a  fruit  more  noble  than  its 
nurse  and  parent :  let  him 
say,  why  the  best  of  oil 
is  at  the  top,  the  best  of 
wine  in  the  middle,  and  the 
best  of  honey  at  the  bottom, 
otherwise  than  it  is  in  some 
liquors  that  are  thinner,  and 
in  some  that  are  thicker. 
But  these  things  are  not 
such  as  please  busy-bodies  ; 
they  must  feed  upon  tra- 
gedies, and  stories  of  mis- 
fortunes, and  crimes :  and 
yet  tell  them  ancient  stories 
of  the  ravishment  of  chaste 
maidens,  or  the  debauch- 
ment  of  nations,  or  the  ex- 
treme poverty  of  learned 
persons,  or  the  persecutions 
of  the  old  Saints,  or  the 
changes  of  government,  and 


2  These,  iii.  11;   1  Pet.  iv.  15. 


sad  accidents  happening  in 
Royal  families  amongst  the 
Arsacidce,  the  Ccesars,  the 
Ptolemies,  these  were  enough 
to  scratch  the  itch  of  know- 
ing sad  stories ;  but  unless 
you  tell  them  something  sad 
and  neiv^  something  that  is 
done  within  the  bounds  of 
their  own  knowledge  or 
relation,  it  seems  tedious 
and  unsatisfying ;  which 
shews  plainly  it  is  an 
evil  spu'it :  envy  and  idle- 
ness married  together,  and 
begot  curiosity.  Therefore 
Plutarch  rarely  well  com- 
pares curious  and  inquisitive 
ears  to  the  execrable  gates 
of  cities,  out  of  which  only 
malefactors  and  hangmen 
and  tragedies  pass,  nothing 
that  is  chaste  or  holy,  *  If 
a  Physician  should  go  from 
house  to  house  uusent  for, 
and  inquire  what  woman 
hath  a  cancer  in  her  bowels, 
or  what  man  hath  a  fistula 
in  his  cholic-gut,  though  he 
could  pretend  to  ciure  it,  he 
would  be  almost  as  unwel- 
come as  the  disease  itself: 
and  therefore  it  is  inhuman 
to  inquire  after  crimes  and 
disasters  without  pretence 
of  amending  them  but  only 
to  discover  them.  We  are 
not  angry  with  searchers 
and  publicans  when  they 
look  only  on  public  mer- 
chandise ;    but   when   they 


OF  MODESTY.  95 

break  open  trunks,  and 
pierce  vessels,  and  unrip 
packs,  and  open  sealed 
letters. 

Curiosity  is  the  direct 
incontinency  of  the  spirit ; 
and  adultery  itself  in  its 
principle  is  many  times 
nothing  but  a  curious  in- 
quisition after,  and  envy- 
ing of,  another  man's  en- 
closed pleasures  :  and  there 
have  been  many  who  re- 
fused fairer  objects  that 
they  might  ravish  an  en- 
closed woman  from  her  re- 
tirement and  single  pos- 
sessor. But  these  inquisi- 
tions are  seldom  without 
danger,  never  without  base- 
ness :  they  are  neither  just, 
nor  honest,  nor  delightful, 
and  very  often  useless  to 
the  curious  inquirer.  For 
men  stand  upon  their  guards 
against  them,  as  they  secure 
their  meat  against  harpies 
and  cats,  laying  all  their 
counsels  and  secrets  out  of 
their  way ;  or  as  men  clap 
their  garments  close  about 
them  when  the  searching 
and  saucy  winds  would  dis- 
cover their  nakedness :  as 
knowing  that  what  men 
willingly  hear,  they  do  wil- 
lingly speak  of.  Knock 
therefore  at  the  door  before 
you  enter  upon  your  neigh- 
bour's privacy ;  and  remem- 
ber, that  there  is  no  difierence 


96 


OF  MODESTY. 


between   entering    into   his 
house,  and  looking  into  it. 

Acts  of  Modesty  as  it  is  op- 
2wsed  to  Boldness. 

1.  Let  us  always  bear 
about  us  such  impressions 
of  reverence  and  fear  of 
God,  as  to  tremble  at  His 
voice,  to  express  our  appre- 
hensions of  his  greatness  in 
all  great  accidents,  in  popu- 
lar judgments,loud  thunders, 
tempests,  eartliqualjes ;  not 
only  for  fear  of  being  smit- 
ten ourselves,  or  that  v/e  are 
concerned  in  the  accident, 
but  also  that  we  may  hum- 
ble ourselves  before  His 
Almightiness,  and  express 
that  infinite  distance  be- 
tween His  infiniteness  and 
our  weaknesses,  at  such 
times  especially  when  He 
gives  such  visible  argu- 
ments of  it.  He  that  is 
merry  and  airy  at  shore, 
■when  he  sees  a  sad  and  a 
loud  tempest  on  the  sea ; 
or  dances  briskly,  when  God 
thunders  from  Heaven  ;  re- 
gards not  when  God  speaks 
to  all  the  world,  but  is  pos- 
sessed with  a  firm  im- 
modesty. 

2.  Be  reverent,  modest, 
and  reserved  in  the  presence 
of  thy  betters,  giving  to  all 
according  to  their  quality 
their  titles  of  honour,  keep- 
ing distance,  speaking  little, 


answering  pertinently,  not 
interposing  without  leave 
or  reason,  not  answering 
to  a  question  propounded 
to  another ;  and  ever  pre- 
sent to  thy  superiors  the 
fairest  side  of  thy  discourse, 
of  thy  temper,  of  thy  cere- 
mony, as  being  ashamed  to 
serve  excellent  persons  with 
unhandsome  intercourse. 

3.  Never  lie  before  a  king, 
or  a  great  person  ;  nor  stand 
in  a  lie  when  thou  art  ac- 
cused ;  nor  ofier  to  justify 
what  is  indeed  a  fault :  but 
modestly  be  ashamed  of  it,ask 
pardon,  and  make  amends. 

4.  Never  boast  of  thy  sin, 
but  at  least  lay  a  veil  upon 
thy  nakedness  and  shame, 
and  put  thy  hand  before 
thine  eyes,  that  thou  may- 
est  have  this  beginning  of 
repentance,  to  believe  thy 
sin  to  be  thy  shame.  For 
he  that  blushes  not  at  his 
crime,  but  adds  shameless- 
ness  to  his  shame,  hath  no 
instrument  left  to  restore 
him  to  the  hopes  of  virtue. 

5.  Be  not  confident  and 
affirmative  in  an  uncertain 
matter,  but  report  things 
modestly  and  temperately, 
according  to  the  degree  of 
that  persuasion  which  is 
or  ought  to  be  begotten 
in  thee  by  the  efficacy  of 
the  authority,  or  the  reason 
inducing  thee. 


OF  MODESTY. 


97 


6.  Pretend  not  to  more 
knowledge  than  thou  hast  *, 
but  be  content  to  seem 
ignorant  where  thou  art, 
lest  thou  beest  either 
brought  to  shame,  or  re- 
tirest  into  shamelessness. 

Acts  of  Modesty  as  it  is  op- 
posed to  Indecency. 

1.  In  your  prayers,  in 
Churches  and  places  of  Reli- 
gion, use  reverent  postures, 
great  attention,  grave  cere- 
mony, the  lowest  gestures 
of  humility  ;  remembering 
that  we  speak  to  God,  in 
our  reverence  to  whom  we 
cannot  possibly  exceed  :  but 
that  the  expression  of  this 
reverence  be  according  to  j 
law  or  custom,  and  the  , 
example  of  the  most  pru-  ; 
dent  and  pious  persons ; 
that  is,  let  it  be  the  best 
in  its  kind  to  the  best  of 
essences. 

2.  In  all  public  meetings, 
private  addresses,  in  dis- 
courses, in  journies,  use  those 
forms  of  salutation,  reve- 
rence, and  decency,  which 
the  custom  prescribes,  and 
is  usual  amongst  the  most 
sober  persons  ;  giving  honour 
to  whom  honour  belongeth, 
taking  place  of  none  of 
thy  betters,  and  in  all  cases 
of  question  concerning  civil 
precedency  giving  it  to  any 

•  Eoj-lns.  iii.  25. 


one  that  wiU  take  it,  if  it 
be  only  thy  own  right  that 
is  in  question. 

3.  Observe  the  proportion 
of  affections  in  all  meetings 
and  to  all  persons  :  be  not 
merry  at  a  funeral,  nor  sad 
upon  a  festival ;  but  rejoice 
with  them  that  rejoice.,  and 
iveep  with  them  that  weep  *. 

4.  Abstain  from  wanton 
and  dissolute  laughter,  pe- 
tulant and  uncomely  jests, 
loud  talking,  jeering,  and 
all  such  actions  which  in 
civil  account  are  called  in- 
decencies and  incivilities. 

5.  Towards  your  parents 
use  all  modesty  of  duty  and 
humble  carriage ;  towards 
them  and  all  your  kindred 
be  severe  in  the  modesties 
of  chastity ;  ever  fearing, 
lest  the  freedoms  of  natural 
kindness  should  enlarge  into 
any  neighbourhood  of  un- 
handsomeness.  For  all  in- 
cestuous mixtures,  and  all 
circumstances  and  degrees 
towards  it,  are  the  highest 
violations  of  modesty  in  the 
world  :  for  therefore  incest 
is  grown  to  be  so  high  a 
crime,  especially  in  the  last 
periods  of  the  world,  because 
it  breaks  that  reverence 
which  the  consent  of  all 
nations  and  the  severity  of 
human  laws  hath  enjoined 
towards    our    parents    and 

*  Rom.  xii.  15. 


98 


OP  MODESTY. 


nearest  kindred,  in  imita- 
tion of  that  law  which  God 
gave  to  the  Jews  in  prosecu- 
tion of  Modesty  in  this 
instance. 

6.  Be  a  curious  observer 
of  all  those  things  which 
are  of  good  report  u,  and  are 
parts  of  public  honesty. 
For  public  fame,  and  the 
sentence  of  prudent  and 
public  persons,  is  the  mea- 
sure of  good  and  evil  in 
things  indifferent :  and 
charity  requires  us  to  com- 
ply with  those  fancies  and 
affections  which  are  agree- 
able to  nature,  or  the  analogy 
of  virtue,  or  public  laws,  or 
old  customs.  It  is  against 
Modesty  for  a  woman  to 
marry  a  second  husband 
as  long  as  she  bears  a 
burthen  by  the  first,  or  to 
admit  a  second  love  while 
her  funeral  tears  are  not 
wiped  from  her  cheeks.  It 
is  against  public  honesty  to 
do  some  lawful  actions  of 
privacy  in  public  theatres, 
and  therefore  in  such  cases 
retirement  is  a  duty  of 
modesty. 

7.  Be  grave,  decent,  and 
modest,  in  thy  clothing  and 
ornament :  never  let  it  be 
above  thy  condition,  not  al- 
ways equal  to  it,  never  light 
or  amorous,  never  discover- 
ing a  nakedness  through  a 

•  Philip,  iv.  8. 


thin  veil,  which  thou  pre- 
;  tendest  to  hide,  never  to  lay 
a  snare  for  a  Soul  ;  but  re- 
member what  becomes  a 
Christian,  professing  holi- 
ness, chastity,  and  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  holy  Jesus  : 
and  the  first  effect  of  this 
let  your  servants  feel  by 
your  gentleness  and  aptness 
to  be  pleased  with  their 
usual  diligence,  and  ordi- 
nary conduct.  For  the  man 
or  woman  that  is  dressed 
with  anger  and  impatience, 
wears  pride  under  their 
robes,  and  immodesty  above. 
8.  Hither  also  is  to  be  re- 
duced singular  and  affect- 
ed walking,  proud,  nice, 
and  ridiculous  gestures  of 
body,  painting  and  lascivi- 
ous dressings  :  all  which 
together  God  reproves  by 
the  prophet^,  The  Lord 
saith,  Because  the  daugh- 
ters of  Sion  are  haughty, 
and  walk  with  stretched- 
forth  necks  and  wanton 
eyes,  walking,  and  mincing 
as  they  go,  a7id  make  a  tink- 
ling with  their  feet ;  There- 
fore the  Lord  will  smite  her 
with  a  scab  of  the  crown  of 
the  head,  and  will  take  away 
the  bravery  of  their  tinkling 
orname7its.  And  this  duty 
of  modesty  in  this  instance 
is  expressly  enjoined  to  all 
Christian  women  by  Saint 

'Isa.  iii.16— 18. 


OF  MODESTY. 


99 


Paid'^,  That  women  adorn  ' 
themselves  in  modest  apparel 
ivith  shamefacedness  and  so- 
briety, not  with  broidered 
hair,  or  gold,  or  pearl,  or 
costly  array,  but  {lohich  be- 
cometh  women  professing 
godliness)  with  good  works. 

9,  As  those  meats  are  to 
be  avoided,  which  tempt  our 
stomachs  beyond  our  hun- 
ger ;  so  also  should  prudent 
persons     decline     all    such 
spectacles,    relations,    thea-  j 
tres,  loud   noises    and   out-  ' 
cries,  which  concern  us  not, 
and  are  besides  our  natural 
or  moral  interest.     Our  sen-  j 
ses  should  not  like  petulant 
and   wanton    girls    wander  j 
into  markets   and    theatres  ' 
without  just   employment ; 
but    when     they    are    sent 
abroad    by    reason,    retiu'u 
quickly  with   their  errand, 
and    remain    modestly    at  ; 
home    under     their    guide, 
till  they  be  sent  again.  ! 

10.  Let  all  persons  be  cu-  i 


rious  in  observing  modesty 
towards  themselves  in  the 
handsome  treating  their  own 
body,  and  such  as  are  in 
their  power,  whether  living 
or  dead.  Against  this  rule 
they  offend,  who  expose 
to  others  their  own,  or  pry 
into  others'  nakedness  be- 
yond the  limits  of  necessity, 
or  where  a  leave  is  not  made 
holy  by  a  permission  from 
God.  It  is  also  said,  that 
God  was  pleased  to  work 
a  miracle  about  the  body  of 
Epiphanius,  to  reprove  the 
immodest  curiosity  of  an 
unconcerned  person  whc 
pried  too  near  when  chari- 
table people  were  composing 
it  to  the  grave.  In  all  these 
cases  and  particulars,  al- 
though they  seem  little,  yet 
our  duty  and  concernment 
is  not  little.  Concerning 
which  I  use  the  words  of 
the  son  of  Sirach^,  He  that 
despiseth  little  things,  shall 
perish  by  little  and  little. 


Sect.  VI. 

Of  Contentedness  in  all  estates  and  accidents. 


Virtues  and  discourses 
are  like  friends,  necessary  in 
all  fortunes  ;  but  those  are 
the  best,  which  are  friends 
in  our  sadnesses,  and  sup- 
port us  in  our  sorrows  and 

^  1  Tim.  ii.  9,  10. 


sad  accidents  :  and,  in  this 
sense,  no  man  that  is  vir- 
tuous can  be  friendless  ;  nor 
hath  any  man  reason  to 
complain  of  the  Divine  Pro- 
vidence, or  accuse  the  pub- 

y  Ecclus.  xix.  1. 


p2 


100 


OP  CONTENTEDNESS. 


lie  disorder  of  things,  or  his 
own  infelicity,  since  God 
hath  appointed  one  remedy 
for  all  the  evils  in  the 
world,  and  that  is  a  con- 
tented spu'it  :  for  this  alone 
makes  a  man  pass  through 
fire,  and  not  be  scorched  ; 
through  seas,  and  not  be 
drowned  ;  through  hunger 
and  nakedness,  and  want 
nothing.  For  since  all  the 
evil  in  the  world  consists  in 
the  disagreeing  between  the 
object  and  the  appetite,  as 
when  a  man  hath  what  he 
desires  not,  or  desires  what 
he  hath  not,  or  desires  a- 
miss  ;  he  that  composes  his 
spirit  to  the  present  acci- 
dent, hath  variety  of  in- 
stances for  his  virtue,  but 
none  to  trouble  him ;  because 
his  desires  enlarge  not  be- 
yond his  present  fortune : 
and  a  wise  man  is  placed  in 
the  variety  of  chances,  like 
the  nave  or  centre  of  a 
wheel  in  the  midst  of  all 
the  circumvolutions  and 
changes  of  posture,  with- 
out violence  or  change, 
save  that  it  turns  gently 
in  compliance  with  its 
changed  parts,  and  is  in- 
different which  part  is  up 
and  which  is  down  ;  for 
there  is  some  virtue  or 
other  to  be  exercised,  what- 
ever happens ;  either  pa- 
tience or  thanksffivino,  love 


or  fear,  moderation  or  hu- 
mility,  charity  or  content- 
edness  ;  and  they  are  every 
one  of  them  equally  in  order 
to  his  great  end  and  immor- 
tal felicity  :  M\d  beauty  is 
not  made  by  white  or  red, 
by  black  eyes  and  a  round 
face,   by    a    straight    body 
and  a  smooth  skin  ;  but  by 
a  proportion   to  the  fancy. 
No  rules    can   make  amia- 
bility,   our  minds  and  ap- 
prehensions make  that :  and 
so  is  our  felicity  :   and  we 
may  be  reconciled    to  pov- 
erty and  a   low  fortune,  if 
we  sufier  contentedness  and 
the  grace  of  God  to  make 
the    proportions.      For    no 
man  is  poor,  that  does  not 
think    himself  so  :    but  if, 
in  a  full  fortune,  with  im- 
patience he  desires  more,  he 
proclaims  his  wants  and  his 
beggarly    condition.      But, 
because  this  grace  of  Con- 
tentedness  was  the   sum  of 
all    the    old    moral    philo- 
sophy, and  a  great  duty  in 
Christianity,    and    of   most 
universal  use  in  the  whole 
course  of  our  lives,  and  the 
only  instrument  to  ease  the 
burdens   of   the  world   and 
the  enmities  of  sad  chances  ; 
it  will  not  be  amiss  to  press 
it  by  the  proper  arguments 
by  which  God  hath   bound 
it  upon  our  spiiits  :  it  being 
fastened  by  Kcason  and  Re- 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


101 


lig'on.  by  duty  and  interest, 
by  necessity  and  conveni- 
ency,  by  example,  and  by 
the  proposition  of  excellent 
rewards,  no  less  than  peace 
and  felicity. 

1.  Contentedness  in  all 
estates  is  a  duty  of  religion ; 
it  is  the  great  reasonable- 
ness of  complying  with  the 
Divine  Providence  which 
governs  all  the  world,  and 
hath  so  ordered  us  in  the 
administration  of  His  great 
family.  He  were  a  strange 
fool,  that  should  be  angry 
because  dogs  and  sheep  need 
no  shoes,  and  yet  himself  is 
full  of  care  to  get  some. 
God  hath  supplied  those 
needs  to  them  by  natural 
provisions,  and  to  thee  by 
an  artificial  :  for  he  hath 
given  thee  reason  to  learn 
a  trade,  or  some  means  to 
make  or  buy  them  ;  so  that 
it  only  differs  in  the  manner 
of  our  provision  :  and  which 
had  you  rather  want,  shoes 
or  Reason  ?  And  my  patron 
that  hath  given  me  a  farm 
is  freer  to  me  than  if  he 
gives  a  loaf  ready  baked. 
But,  however,  all  these  gifts 
come  from  Him,  and  there- 
fore it  is  fit  He  should  dis- 
pense them  as  He  pleases  ; 
and  if  we  murmur  here,  we 
may  at  the  next  melancholy 


be  troubled  that  God  did  not 
make  us  to  be  angels  or 
stars.  For,  if  that  which 
we  are  or  have  do  not  con- 
tent us,  we  may  be  troubled 
for  every  thing  in  the  world 
which  is  besides  our  being 
or  our  possessions. 

God  is  the  master  of  the 
scenes  ;  we  must  not  choose 
which  part  we  shall  act  ;  it 
concerns  us  only  to  be  care- 
ful that  we  do  it  well,  al- 
ways saying,  if  this  please 
God,  let  it  be  as  it  is  :  and 
we,  who  pray  that  God's  will 
may  be  done  in  Earth  as  it 
is  in  Heaven,  must  remem- 
ber that  the  angels  do  what- 
soever is  commanded  them, 
and  go  wherever  they  are 
sent,  and  refuse  no  circum- 
stances :  and  if  their  em- 
ployment be  crossed  by  a 
higher  decree,  they  sit  down 
in  peace  and  rejoice  in  the 
event  ;  and,  when  the  Angel 
of  Judwa  could  not  prevail 
in  behalf  of  the  people  com- 
mitted to  his  charge,  be- 
cause the  Angel  of  Persia 
opposed  itz  ;  he  only  told 
the  story  at  the  command  of 
God,  and  was  as  content, 
and  worshipped  with  as 
great  an  extasy  in  his  pro- 
]:)ortion  as  the  prevailing 
Spirit.  Do  thou  so  likewise  : 
keep  the  station  where  God 


»  Dan.  X.  13. 


102 


OP  CONTENTEDNESS. 


hath  placed  you,  and  you 
shall  never  long  for  things 
without,  but  sit  at  home 
feasting  upon  the  Divhie 
Providence  and  thy  own 
reason,  by  which  we  are 
taught  that  it  is  necessary 
and  reasonable  to  submit  to 
God. 

For,  is  not  all  the  world 
God's  family  ?  Are  not  we 
His  creatures  ?  Are  we  not 
as  clay  in  the  hand  of  the 
potter  ?  Do  not  we  live  upon 
His  meat,  and  move  by  His 
strength,  and  do  our  work 
by  His  light  ?  Are  we  any 
thing  but  what  we  are  from 
Him  ?  And  shall  there  be 
a  mutiny  among  the  flocks 
and  herds,  because  their 
Lord  or  their  Shepherd 
chooses  their  pastures,  and 
suffers  them  not  to  Avander 
into  deserts  and  unknown 
ways  ?  If  we  choose,  we  do 
it  so  foolishly  that  we  can- 
not like  it  long,  and  most 
commonly  not  at  all :  but 
God,  who  can  do  what  He 
please,  is  wise  to  choose 
safely  for  us,  affectionate  to 
comply  with  our  needs,  and 
powerful  to  execute  all  His 
wise  decrees.  Here  there- 
fore is  the  wisdom  of  the 
contented  man,  to  let  God 
choose  for  him :  for  when 
we  have  given  up  our  wills 
to  Him,  and  stand  in  that 
station  of  the  battle  where 


our  great  General  hath  pla- 
ced us,  our  spirits  must 
needs  rest  while  oiu:  con- 
ditions have  for  their  se- 
curity the  power,  the  wis- 
dom, and  the  charity  of  God. 
2.  Contented  ness  in  all 
accidents  brings  great  peace 
of  spirit,  and  is  the  great 
and  only  instrument  of  tem- 
poral felicity.  It  removes 
the  sting  from  the  accident, 
and  makes  a  man  not  to  de- 
pend upon  chance  and  the 
uncertain  dispositions  of 
men  for  his  well-being,  but 
only  on  God  and  his  own 
spirit.  We  ourselves  make 
our  own  fortunes  good  or 
bad;  and  when  God  lets 
loose  a  tyrant  upon  us,  or 
a  sickness,  or  scorn,  or  a 
lessened  fortune,  if  we  fear 
to  die,  or  know  not  to  be 
patient,  or  are  proud,  or 
covetous,  then  the  calamity 
sits  heavy  on  us.  But  if 
we  know  how  to  manage 
a  noble  principle,  and  fear 
not  death  so  much  as  a  dis- 
honest action,  and  think  im- 
patience a  worse  evil  than  a 
fever,  and  pride  to  be  the 
biggest  disgrace,  and  pov- 
erty to  be  infinitely  desirable 
before  the  torments  of  covet- 
ousness  ;  then  we  who  now 
think  vice  to  be  so  easy,  and 
make  it  so  familiar,  and 
think  the  cure  so  impos- 
sible,   shall  quickly   be    of 


OP  CONTENTEDNBSS. 


103 


another  mind,  and  reckon 
these  accidents  amongst 
things  eligible. 

But  no  man  can  be  happy 
that  hath  great  hopes  and 
great  fears  of  things  with- 
out, and  events  depending 
upon  other  men,  or  upon  the 
chances  of  fortune.  The  re- 
wards of  virtue  are  certain, 
and  our  provisions  for  our 
natural  support  are  certain ; 
or  if  we  want  meat  till  we 
die,  then  we  die  of  that  dis- 
ease, and  there  are  many 
worse  than  to  die  with  an 
atrophy  or  consumption,  or 
unapt  and  coarser  nourish- 
ment. But  he  that  suffers 
a  transporting  passion  con- 
cerning things  within  the 
power  of  others,  is  free  from 
sorrow  and  amazement  no 
longer  than  his  enemy  shall 
give  him  leave  ;  and  it  is 
ten  to  one  but  he  shall  be 
smitten  then  and  there 
where  it  shall  most  trou- 
ble him  :  for  so  the  adder 
teaches  us  where  to  strike, 
by  her  curious  and  fearful 
defending  of  her  head.  The 
old  Stoicks  when  you  told 
them  of  a  sad  story,  would 
still  answer  '  ri  irphs  fj.4 ; 
What  is  that  to  me?  '  '  Yes, 
for  the  tyrant  hath  sen- 
tenced you  also  to  prison.' 
'Well,  what  is  that?  He 
will  put  a  chain   upon  my 


leg,  but  he  cannot  bind  my 
soul.'  '  No  :  but  he  will  kill 
you.'  '  Then  I'll  die.  If  pre- 
sently, let  me  go,  that  I 
may  presently  be  freer  than 
himself :  but  if  not  till  anon 
or  tomorrow,  I  will  dine  first, 
or  sleep,  or  do  what  reason 
and  nature  calls  for,  as  at 
other  times.'  This  in  Gen- 
tile philosophy  is  the  same 
with  the  discourse  of  S. 
Paul",  I  have  learned  in 
ivhatsoever  state  I  am  there- 
with to  he  content.  I  knoiv 
both  how  to  he  ahased,  and  1 
knoio  hoio  to  abound  :  every 
where  and  in  all  things  I 
am  instructed,  hoth  how  to 
befvll  and  how  to  he  hungry, 
hoth  to  abound  and  suffer 
need. 

"We  are  in  the  world  like 
men  playing  at  tables  ; 
the  chance  is  not  in  our 
power,  but  to  play  it  is ;  and 
when  it  is  fallen  we  must 
manage  it  as  we  can  ;  and 
let  nothing  trouble  us,  but 
when  we  do  a  base  action,  or 
speak  like  a  fool,  or  think 
wickedly  :  these  things  God 
hath  put  into  our  powers  ; 
but  concerning  those  things 
which  are  wholly  in  the 
choice  of  another,  they  can- 
not fall  under  our  delibera- 
tion, and  therefore  neither 
are  they  fit  for  our  passions 
My  fear  may  make  me  mise 


Phil.  iv.  li,  12;    1  Tim.  vi.  6;    Hob.  xiii.  5. 


104 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


rable,  but  it  cannot  prevent 
what  another  hath  in  his 
power  and  purpose  :  and 
prosperities  can  only  be 
enjoyed  by  them  who  fear 
not  at  all  to  lose  them  ; 
since  the  amazement  and 
passion  concerning  the  fu- 
ture takes  off  all  the  plea- 
sure of  the  present  posses- 
sion. Therefore  if  thou  hast 
lost  thy  land,  do  not  also 
lose  thy  constancy  :  and  if 
thou  must  die  a  little 
sooner,  yet  do  not  die  im- 
patiently. For  no  chance 
is  evil  to  him  that  is  con- 
tent, and  to  a  man  nothing 
miserable,  unless  it  he  U7irea- 
sonahle.  No  man  can  make 
another  man  to  be  his  slave, 
unless  he  hath  first  enslaved 
himself  to  life  and  death,  to 
pleasure  or  pain,  to  hope  or 
fear  :  command  these  pas- 
sions, and  you  are  freer  than 
the  Parthian  Kings. 

Instruments  or  Exercises  to 
'procure  Contentedness. 

Upon  the  strength  of  these 
premisses  we  may  reduce  this 
virtue  to  practice  by  its  pro- 
per instruments  first,  and 
then  by  some  more  special 
considerations  or  arguments 
of  content. 

1.  When  any  thing  hap- 
pens to  our  displeasure,  let 
us  endeavour  to  take  off  its 


trouble  by  turning  it  into 
spiritual  or  artificial  advan- 
tage, and  handle  it  on  that 
side  in  which  it  may  be  use- 
ful to  the  designs  of  reason. 
For  there  is  nothing  but 
hath  a  double  handle,  or  at 
least  we  have  two  hands  to 
apprehend  it.  When  an 
enemy  reproaches  us,  let 
us  look  on  him  as  an  im- 
partial relator  of  our  faults, 
for  he  will  tell  thee  truer 
than  thy  fondest  friend  will ; 
and  thou  mayest  call  them 
precious  balms  though  ther/ 
break  thy  head'°,  and  forgive 
his  anger  while  thou  mak- 
est  use  of  the  plainness  of 
his  declamation.  The  ox 
when  he  is  wear;./  treads 
surest :  and  if  there  be  no- 
thing else  in  the  disgrace 
but  that  it  makes  us  to 
walk  warily,  and  tread  sure 
for  fear  of  our  enemies,  that 
is  better  than  to  be  flattered 
into  pride  and  carelessness. 
This  is  the  charity  of  Chris- 
tian Philosophy,  which  ex- 
pounds the  sense  of  the 
Divine  providence  fairly, 
and  reconciles  us  to  it  by 
a  charitable  construction : 
and  we  may  as  well  refuse 
all  physic,  if  we  consider  it 
only  as  unpleasant  in  the 
taste  ;  and  we  may  find 
fault  with  the  rich  valleys 
of  Thasus,  because  they  are 


Ps.  cxli.  5,  6. 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


106 


circled  by  sharp  moun- 
tains :  but  so  also  we  may- 
be in  charity  with  every  un- 
pleasant accident,  because 
though  it  taste  bitter,  it 
is  intended  for  health  and 
medicine. 

If  therefore  thou  fallest 
from  thy  employment  in 
public,  take  sanctuary  in 
an  honest  retirement,  being 
indifferent  to  thy  gain  a- 
broad,  or  thy  safety  at  home. 
If  thou  art  out  of  favour 
with  thy  Prince,  secure  the 
favour  of  the  King  of  Kings, 
and  then  there  is  no  harm 
come  to  thee.  And  when 
Zeno  Citiensis  lost  all  his 
goods  in  a  storm,  he  retired 
to  the  studies  of  philosophy, 
to  his  short  cloak,  and  a  se- 
vere life,  and  gave  thanks 
to  fortune  for  his  prosperous 
mischance.  When  the  north 
wind  blows  hard  and  it  rains 
sadly,  none  but  fools  sit 
down  in  it  and  cry  ;  wise 
people  defend  themselves 
against  it  with  a  warm  gar- 
ment or  a  good  fire  and  a 
dry  roof:  when  a  storm  of 
a  sad  mischance  beats  upon 
our  spirits,  turn  it  into 
some  advantage  by  observ- 
ing where  it  can  serve  an- 
other end,  either  of  religion 
or  prudence,  of  more  safety 
or  less  envy  :  it  will  turn 
into  something  that  is  good, 
if  we  list  to  make  it  so  :  at 


least  it  may  make  us  weary 
of  the  world's  vanity  and 
take  ofi"  our  confidence  from 
uncertain  riches,  and  make 
our  spirits  to  dwell  in  those 
regions  where  content  dwells 
essentially.  If  it  does  any 
good  to  our  souls,  it  hath 
made  more  than  sufficient 
recompense  for  all  the  tem- 
poral afiliction.  He  that 
threw  a  stone  at  a  dog,  and 
hit  his  cruel  step-mother, 
said,  that  although  he  in- 
tended it  otherwise,  yet  the 
stone  was  not  quite  lost : 
and  if  we  fail  in  the  first 
design,  if  we  bring  it  home 
to  another  equally  to  content 
us,  or  more  to  profit  us,  then 
we  have  put  our  conditions 
past  the  power  of  chance  ; 
and  this  was  called  in  the 
old  Greek  Comedy,  a  being 
revenged  on  fortune  hy  he- 
coming  PhilosoijJiers,  and 
turning  the  chance  into  rea- 
son or  religion  :  for  so  a  wise 
man  shall  over-rule  his  stars, 
and  have  a  greater  influence 
upon  his  own  content  than 
all  the  constellations  and 
planets  of  the  firmament. 

2.  Never  compare  thy 
condition  with  these  above 
thee ;  but  to  secure  thy 
content,  look  upon  those 
thousands  with  whom  thou 
wouldest  not  for  any  inter- 
est change  thy  fortune  and 
condition.  A  soldier  must 
3 


106 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


not  think  himself  unprospe- 
rous,  if  he  be  not  successful 
as  the  son  of  Philip^  or  can- 
not grasp  a  fortune  as  big 
as  the  Ro7nan  empire.  Be 
content  that  thou  art  not 
lessened  as  was  Pyrrhus : 
or  if  thou  beest,  that  thou 
art  not  routed  like  Crassus  : 
and  when  that  comes  to 
thee,  it  is  a  great  prosperity 
that  thou  art  not  caged  and 
made  a  spectacle  like  Baja- 
zet,  or  thy  eyes  were  not 
pulled  out  like  ZedehiaKs, 
or  that  thou  wert  not  flayed 
alive  like  Valentinian.  If 
thou  admirest  the  greatness 
of  Xerxes,  look  also  on  those 
that  digged  the  mountain 
Atho,  or  whose  ears  and 
noses  were  cut  off,  because 
the  Hellespont  carried  away 
the  bridge.  It  is  a  fine 
thing  (thou  thinkest)  to  be 
carried  on  men's  shoulders  : 
but  give  God  thanks  that 
thou  art  not  forced  to  carry  a 
rich  fool  upon  thy  shoulders, 
as  those  poor  men  do  whom 
thou  beholdest.  There  are 
but  a  few  kings  in  mankind  ; 
but  many  thousands  who  are 
very  miserable,  if  compared 
to  thee.  However,  it  is  a 
huge  folly  rather  to  grieve 
for  the  good  of  others,  than 
to  rejoice  for  that  good 
which  God  hath  given  us  of 
our  own. 

And  yet  there  is  no   wise 


or  good  man  that  would 
change  persons  or  condi- 
tions entirely  with  any  man 
in  the  world.  It  may  be, 
he  would  have  one  man's 
wealth  added  to  himself,  or 
the  power  of  a  second,  or 
the  learning  of  a  third  ; 
but  still  he  would  receive 
these  into  his  own  person, 
because  he  loves  that  best, 
and  therefore  esteems  it 
best,  and  therefore  over- 
values all  that  which  he  is, 
before  all  that  which  any 
other  man  in  the  world  can 
be.  Would  any  man  be 
Dives  to  have  his  wealth,  or 
Judas  for  his  office,  or  Said 
for  his  kingdom,  or  Absalom 
for  his  bounty,  or  Achito- 
phel  for  his  policy  ?  It  is 
likely  he  would  wish  all 
these,  and  yet  he  would  be 
the  same  person  still.  For 
every  man  hath  desires  of 
his  own,  and  objects  just 
fitted  to  them,  without 
which  he  cannot  be,  unless 
he  were  not  himself.  And 
let  every  man  that  loves 
himself  so  well  as  to  love 
himself  before  all  the  world, 
consider  if  he  have  not 
something  for  which  in  the 
whole  he  values  himself  far 
more  than  he  can  value  any 
man  else.  There  is  there- 
fore no  reason  to  take  the 
finest  feathers  from  all  the 
winged  nation  to  deck  that 


or  CONTENTEDNESS. 


107 


bird  that  thinks  already  she 
is  more  valuable  than  any 
the  inhabitants  of  the  air. 
Either  change  all  or  none. 
Cease  to  love  yourself  best, 
or  be  content  with  that  por- 
tion of  being  and  blessing 
for  which  you  love  yourself 
so  well. 

3.  It  conduces  much  to 
our  content,  if  we  pass  by 
those  things  which  happen 
to  our  trouble,  and  consider 
that  lohich  is  pleasing  and 
prosperous,  that  by  the  re- 
presentation of  the  better, 
the  worse  may  be  blotted 
out  :  and  at  the  worst  you 
have  enough  to  keep  you 
alive,  and  to  keep  up  and  to 
improve  your  hopes  of  Hea- 
ven. If  I  be  overthrown  in 
my  suit  at  law,  yet  my 
house  is  left  me  still  and  my 
land  ;  or  I  have  a  virtuous 
wife,  or  hopeful  children,  or 
kind  friends,  or  good  hopes. 
If  I  have  lost  one  child,  it 
may  be  I  have  two  or  three 
still  left  me.  Or  else  reckon 
the  blessings  which  already 
you  have  received,  and  there- 
fore be  pleased  in  the  change 
and  variety  of  affiiirs  to  re- 
ceive evil  from  the  hand  of 
God  as  well  as  good'^.  A  nti- 
pater  of  Tarsus  used  this  art 
to  support  his  sorrows  on 
his  death-bed,  and  reckoned 


the  good  things  of  his  past 
life,  not  forgetting  to  re- 
count it  as  a  blessing,  an  ar- 
gument that  God  took  care 
of  him,  that  he  had  a  pros- 
perous journey  from  Cilicia 
to  Athens.  Or  else  please 
thyself  with  hopes  of  the  fu- 
ture :  for  we  were  born  with 
this  sadness  upon  us  ;  and 
it  was  a  change  that  brought 
us  into  it,  and  a  change 
may  bring  us  out  again* 
Harvest  will  come,  and  then 
every  farmer  is  rich,  at  least 
for  a  month  or  two.  It  may 
be  thou  art  entered  into  the 
cloud  which  will  bring  a 
gentle  shoAver  to  refresh  thy 
sorrows. 

Now  suppose  thyself  in  as 
great  a  sadness  as  ever  did 
load  thy  spirit  ;  wouldst 
thou  not  bear  it  cheerfully 
and  nobly  if  thou  wert  sure 
that  within  a  certain  space 
some  strange  excellent  for- 
tune would  relieve  thee,  and 
enrich  thee,  and  recom- 
pense thee  so  as  to  over- 
flow all  thy  hopes  and  thy 
desires  and  capacities  ?  Now 
then,  when  a  sadness  lies 
heavy  upon  thee,  remember 
that  thou  art  a  Christian 
designed  to  the  inheritance 
of  Jesus :  and  what  dost 
thou  think  concerning  thy 
great  fortune,   thy  lot  and 


« Job  ii.  10. 


108 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


portion  of  eternity  ?  Dost 
thou  think  thou  shalt  be 
saved  or  damned?  Indeed 
if  thou  thinkest  thou  shalt 
perish,  I  cannot  blame  thee 
to  be  sad,  sad  till  thy 
heart-strings  crack  :  but 
then  why  art  thou  troubled 
at  the  loss  of  thy  money  ? 
what  should  a  damned  man 
do  with  money,  which  in  so 
great  a  sadness  it  is  impos- 
sible for  him  to  enjoy  1  Did 
ever  any  man  upon  the  rack 
afflict  himself  because  he 
had  received  a  cross  answer 
from  his  mistress  1  or  call 
for  the  particulars  of  a  pur- 
chase upon  the  gallows  ?  If 
thou  dost  really  believe  thou 
shalt  be  damned,  I  do  not 
say  it  will  cure  the  sadness 
of  thy  poverty,  but  it  will 
swallow  it  up.  *But  if  thou 
believest  thou  shalt  be  sa- 
ved, consider,  how  great  is 
that  joy,  how  infinite  is  that 
change,  how  unspeakable  is 
the  glory,  how  excellent  is 
the  recompence  for  all  the 
sufierings  in  the  world,  if 
they  were  all  laden  upon 
the  spirit  ?  So  that  let  thy 
condition  be  what  it  will, 
if  thou  considerest  thy  own 
present  condition,  and  com- 
parest  it  to  thy  future  pos- 
sibility, thou  canst  not  feel 
the  present  smart  of  a  cross 
fortune  to  any  great  degree, 
either  because  thou  hast  a 


far  bigger  sorrow,  or  a  far 
■  bigger  joy.  Here  thou  art 
but  a  stranger  travelling  to 
thy  country,  where  the  glo- 
ries of  a  kingdom  are  pre- 
pared for  thee  ;  it  is  there- 
fore a  huge  folly  to  be  much 
afflicted  because  thou  hast  a 
less  convenient  inn  to  lodge 
in  by  the  way. 

But  these  arts  of  looking 
backwards  and  forwards  are 
more  than  enough  to  sup- 
port the  spirit  of  a  Chris- 
tian :  there  is  no  man  but 
hath  blessings  enough  in 
present  possession  to  out- 
weigh the  evils  of  a  great 
affliction.  Tell  the  joints  of 
thy  body,  and  do  not  accuse 
the  universal  Providence  for 
a  lame  leg,  or  the  want  of  a 
finger,  when  all  the  rest  is 
perfect,  and  you  have  a 
noble  Soul,  a  particle  of 
Divinity,  the  image  of  God 
Himself :  and  by  the  want 
of  a  finger  you  may  the 
better  know  how  to  estimate 
the  remaining  parts,  and  to 
account  for  every  degree 
of  the  surviving  blessings. 
Aristippus  in  a  great  suit  at 
law  lost  a  farm,  and  to  a 
gentleman  who  in  civility  pi- 
tied and  deplored  his  loss,  he 
answered,  I  have  two  farms 
left  still ;  and  that  is  more 
than  I  have  lost,  and  more 
than  you  have  by  one.  If 
you  miss  an  office  for  which 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


1^9 


you  stood  candidate  ;  then, 
besides  that  you  are  quit  of 
the  cares  and  the  envy  of  it, 
you  still  have  all  those  ex- 
cellencies which  rendered 
you  capable  to  receive  it, 
and  they  are  better  than  the 
best  office  in  the  common- 
wealth. If  your  estate  be 
lessened,  you  need  the  less 
to  care  who  governs  the 
province,  whether  he  be 
rude  or  gentle.  I  am 
crossed  in  my  journey,  and 
yet  I  scaped  robbers  ;  and 
I  consider  that  if  I  had 
been  set  upon  by  villains,  I 
would  have  redeemed  that 
evil  by  this  which  I  now 
suffer,  and  have  counted  it 
a  deliverance  :  or  if  I  did 
fall  into  the  hands  of 
thieves,  yet  they  did  not 
steal  my  land.  Or  I  am 
fallen  into  the  hands  of 
publicans  and  sequestrators, 
and  they  have  taken  all 
from  me  :  what  now  ?  let 
me  look  about  me.  They 
have  left  me  the  sun  and 
moon,  fire  and  water,  a 
loving  wife,  and  many 
friends  to  pity  me,  and 
some  to  relieve  me,  and  I 
can  still  discourse ;  and, 
unless  I  list,  they  have  not 
taken  away  my  merry  coun- 
tenance, and  my  cheerful 
spirit,  and  a  good  con- 
science :  they  still  have  left 
me  the  providence  of  God, 


and  all  the  promises  of  the 
Gospel,  and  my  religion, 
and  my  hopes  of  heaven, 
and  my  charity  to  them  too  ; 
and  still  I  sleep  and  digest, 
I  eat  and  diink,  I  read  and 
meditate,  I  can  walk  in  my 
neighbour's  pleasant  fields, 
and  see  the  varieties  of  na- 
tural beauties,  and  delight 
in  all  that  in  which  God 
delights,  that  is,  in  virtue 
and  wisdom,  in  the  whole 
creation,  and  in  God  Him- 
self. And  he  that  hath  so 
many  causes  of  joy,  and  so 
great,  is  very  much  in  love 
with  sorrow  and  peevish- 
ness, who  loses  all  these 
pleasures,  and  chooses  to 
sit  down  upon  his  little 
handful  of  thorns.  Such  a 
person  were  fit  to  bear  Nero 
company  in  his  funeral  sor- 
row for  the  loss  of  one  of 
Poppea's  hairs,  or  help  to 
mourn  for  Leshia's  sparrow  : 
and  because  he  loves  it,  he 
deserves  to  starve  in  the 
midst  of  plenty,  and  to  want 
comfort  while  he  is  encircled 
with  blessings. 

4.  Enjoy  the  present, 
whatsoever  it  be ;  and  be 
not  solicitous  for  the  fu- 
ture :  for  if  you  take  your 
foot  from  the  present  stand- 
ing, and  thrust  it  forward 
toward  tomorrow's  event, 
you  are  in  a  restless  condi- 
tion ;  it  is  like  refusing  to 


110 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


quench  your  present  thirst 
by  fearing  you  shall  want 
drink  the  next  day.  If  it 
be  well  today,  it  is  madness 
to  make  the  present  miser- 
able by  fearing  it  may  be 
ill  tomorrow ;  when  your 
belly  is  full,  of  today's  din- 
ner, to  fear  you  shall  want 
the  next  day's  supper  :  for 
it  may  be  you  shall  not,  and 
then  to  what  purpose  was 
this  day's  affliction  ?  But 
if  tomorrow  you  shall  want, 
your  sorrow  will  come  time 
enough,  though  you  do  not 
hasten  it :  let  your  trouble 
tarry  till  its  own  day  comes. 
But  if  it  chance  to  be  ill  to- 
day, do  not  increase  it  by 
the  care  of  tomorrow.  En- 
joy the  blessings  of  this 
day,  if  God  sends  them ; 
and  the  evils  of  it  bear 
patiently  and  sweetly  :  for 
this  day  is  only  ours,  we  are 
dead  to  yesterday,  and  we 
are  not  yet  born  to  the  mor- 
row. He  therefore  that  en- 
joys the  present,  if  it  be 
good,  enjoys  as  much  as  is 
possible  :  and  if  only  that 
day's  trouble  leans  upon 
him,  it  is  singular  and  finite. 
Sujfficient  to  the  day  (said 
Christ)  is  the  evil  thereof'^. 
Suficient,  but  not  intoler- 
ahle.  But  if  we  look  abroad, 
and  bring  into  one  day's 
thoughts  the  evil  of  many, 
d  Matt. 


certain  and  uncertain,  what 
will  be  and  what  will  never 
be  ;  our  load  will  be  as  in- 
tolerable as  it  is  unreason- 
able. To  reprove  this  in- 
strument of  discontent,  the 
ancients  feigned  that  in  hell 
stood  a  man  twisting  a  rope 
of  hay  ;  and  still  he  twisted 
on,  suffering  an  ass  to  eat 
up  all  that  was  finished  :  so 
miserable  is  he  who  thrusts 
his  passions  forwards  to- 
wards future  events,  and 
suffers  all  that  he  may  en- 
joy to  be  lost  and  devoured 
by  folly  and  inconsideration, 
thinking  nothing  fit  to  be 
enjoyed  but  that  which  is 
not,  or  cannot  be  had.  Just 
so,  many  young  persons  are 
loath  to  die,  and  therefore 
desire  to  live  to  old  age ;  and 
when  they  are  come  thither, 
are  troubled  that  they  are 
come  to  that  state  of  life,  to 
which,before  they  were  come, 
they  were  hugely  afraid 
they  should  never  come. 

5.  Let  us  prepare  our 
minds  against  changes  ;  al- 
ways expecting  them,  that 
we  be  not  surprised  when 
they  come.  For  nothing  is 
so  great  an  enemy  to  tran- 
quillity and  a  contented 
spirit,  as  the  amazement  and 
confusions  of  unreadiness 
and  inconsideration  :  and 
when  our  fortunes  are  vio- 

vi.  34. 


OP  CONTENTEDNESS. 


Ill 


lently  changed,  our  spirits 
are  unchanged,  if  they  al- 
ways stood  in  the  suburbs 
and  expectation  of  sorrows. 
0  Death,  how  hitter  art  thou 
to  a  man  that  is  at  rest  in 
his    possessions  !      And   to 
the  rich  man  who  had  pro- 
mised to  himself  ease  and  ful- 
ness for  many  years,  it  was  a 
sad  arrest,  that  his  soul  was 
surprised  the  first  night :  but 
the  Apostles,  who  every  day 
knocked  at  the  gate  of  death, 
and  looked  upon  it  continu- 
ally, went  to  their  Martyr- 
dom in  peace  and  evenness. 
6.  Let  us  often  frame  to 
ourselves  and  represent  to 
our  considerations  the  ima- 
ges  of  those   blessings   we 
have,  just  as  we  usually  un- 
derstand    them    when    we 
want  them.     Consider  how 
desirable  health  is  to  a  sick 
man,  or  liberty  to  a  prisoner ; 
and  if  but  a  fit  of  the  tooth- 
ache seizes  us  with  violence, 
all  those  troubles  which  in 
our  health  afflicted  us,  dis- 
band instantly,  and  seem  in- 
considerable.     He   that   in 
his  health  is  troubled  that 
he  is  in  debt,  and  spends 
sleepless     nights,    and    re- 
fuses meat   because  of  his 
infelicity,  let  him  fall  into 
a  fit  of  the  stone  or  a  high 
fever,  he  despises  the  arrest 
of  all  his  first  troubles,  and 
is  as  a  man   unconcerned. 


Remember  then,  that  God 
hath  given  thee  a  blessing, 
the  want    of  which   is   in- 
finitely more   trouble  than 
thy  present  debt  or  poverty 
or   loss  ;    and    therefore   is 
now  more  to  be  valued  in 
the   possession,   and   ought 
to    outweigh    thy    trouble. 
The  very  privative  blessings, 
the  blessings  of  immunity, 
safeguard,  liberty   and   in- 
tegrity which  we  commonly 
enjoy,  deserve  the  thanks- 
giving of  a  whole  life.    If 
God  should  send  a  cancer 
upon   thy   face,    or  a  wolf 
into  thy  side,  if  He  should 
spread   a   crust   of  leprosy 
upon  thy  skin,  what  wouldst 
thou  give  to  be  but  as  now 
thou  art  1      Wouldst   thou 
not  on  that  condition  be  as 
poor   as    I    am,    or   as   the 
meanest  of  thy  brethren  1 
Would  you  not  choose  your 
present  loss  or  affliction  as 
a  thing  extremely  eligible, 
and  a  redemption  to  thee, 
if  thou  mightest  exchange 
the  other  for  this  ?   Thou  art 
quit  from  a  thousand  cala- 
mities, every  one  of  which 
if  it  were  upon  thee  would 
make  thee  insensible  of  thy 
present  sorrow  :  and  there- 
fore   let    thy    joy     (which 
should  be  as  great  for  thy 
freedom  from   them,   as   is 
thy  sadness  when  thou  feel- 
est   any   of   them)    do   the 


112 


OP  CONTENTEDNESS. 


same  cure  upon  thy  discon- 
tent.    For  if  we  be  not  ex- 
tremely   foolish    or     vain, 
thankless    or    senseless,    a 
great  joy  is  more  apt  to  cure 
sorrow  and  discontent  than 
a  great  trouble  is.     I  have 
known  an  affectionate  wife, 
when  she  had  been  in  fear 
of  parting  with  her  beloved 
husband,  heartily  desire  of 
God  his  life  or  society  upon 
any  conditions  that  were  not 
sinful  ;  and  choose  to  beg 
with   him,   rather   than    to 
feast  without  him  :  and  the 
same  person  hath  upon  that 
consideration  borne  poverty 
nobly,  when  God  hath  heard 
her  prayer  in  the  other  mat- 
ter.   What  wise  man  in  the 
world  is  there,  who  does  not 
prefer  a  small  fortune  with 
peace    before   a   great   one 
with   contention,  and  war, 
and  violence  ?  and  then  he 
is  no  longer  wise,  if  he  alters 
his  opinion  when  he  hath 
his  wish. 

7.  If  you  will  secure  a 
contented  spirit,  you  must 
measure  your  desires  by 
your  fortune  and  condition, 
not  your  fortunes  by  your 
desires  :  that  is,  be  governed 
by  your  needs,  not  by  your 
fancy  ;  by  Nature,  not  by 
evil  customs  and  ambitious 
principles.  He  that  would 
shoot  an  arrow  out  of  a 
plough,  or  hunt  a  hare  with  , 


an  elephant,  is  not  unfortu- 
nate for  missing  the  mark 
or  prey  ;   but  he  is  foolish 
for  choosing  such  unapt  in- 
struments :  and  so  is  he  that 
runs  after  his  content  with 
appetites  not  springing  from 
natural  needs,  but  from  arti- 
ficial, fantastical,  and   vio- 
lent necessities.     These  are 
not   to   be  satisfied  ;    or  if 
they    were,    a    man    hath 
chosen  an  evil  instrument 
towards  his  content :  Nature 
did  not  intend  rest  to  a  man 
by   filling  of  such  desires. 
Is   that    beast   better   that 
hath  two  or  three  mountains 
to  gaze  on,  than  a  little  bee 
that  feeds  on  dew  or  manna, 
and  lives  upon  what   falls 
every    morning    from    the 
store-houses      of     Heaven, 
Clouds    and    Providence  ? 
Can    a    man    quench     his 
thirst  better  out  of  a  river 
than  a  fuU    urn,   or  drink 
better    from    the    fountain 
when  it  is  finely  paved  with 
marble,  than  when  it  swells 
over  the  green  turf  ?    Pride 
and  artificial  gluttonies  do 
but  adulterate  Nature,  mak- 
ing our  diet  healthless,  our 
appetites  impatient  and  un- 
satisfiable,    and    the    taste 
mixed,  fantastic  and  mere- 
tricious.    But    that    which 
we   miscall  poverty,  is   in- 
deed Nature  :  and  its  pro- 
portions are  the  just  mea- 


OP  CONTENTEDNESg. 


113 


siires  of  a  man,  and  the  best 
instruments  of  content.  But 
when  we  create  needs  that 
God  or  Nature  never  made, 
we  have  erected  to  ourselves 
an  infinite  stock  of  trouble 
that  can  have  no  period. 
Sempronius  complained  of 
want  of  clothes,  and  was 
much  troubled  for  a  new 
suit,  being  ashamed  to  ap- 
pear in  the  theatre  with  his 
gown  a  little  thread-bare  : 
but  when  he  got  it,  and  gave 
his  old  clothes  to  Codrus, 
the  poor  man  was  ravished 
with  joy,  and  Avent  and  gave 
Grod  thanks  for  his  new  pur- 
chase ;  and  Codrusw2bS  made 
richly  fine  and  cheerfully 
warm  by  that  which  Seni- 
pronius  was  ashamed  to 
wear  ;  and  yet  their  natu- 
ral needs  were  both  alike  : 
the  difierence  only  was,  that 
Sempronius  had  some  arti- 
ficial and  fantastical  neces- 
sities superinduced,  which 
Codrus  had  not  ;  and  was 
harder  to  be  relieved,  and 
could  not  have  joy  at  so 
cheap  a  rate  ;  because  he 
only  lived  according  to  Na- 
ture, the  other  by  pride  and 
ill  customs,  and  measures 
taken  by  other  men's  eyes 
and  tongues,  and  artificial 
needs.  He  that  propounds 
to  his  fancy  things  greater 
than  himself  or  his  needs, 


and  is  discontent  and 
troubled  when  he  fails  of 
such  purchases,  ought  not 
to  accuse  Providence,  or 
blame  his  fortune,  but  his 
folly.  God  and  Nature  made 
no  more  needs  than  they 
mean  to  satisfy  ;  and  he  that 
will  make  more,  must  look 
for  satisfaction  when  he  can. 
8.  In  all  troubles  and 
sadder  accidents  let  us  take 
sanctuary  in  Religion,  and 
by  innocence  cast  out  an- 
chors for  our  Souls  to  keep 
them  from  shipwreck, 
though  they  be  not  kept 
from  storm.  For  what  phi- 
losophy shall  comfort  a 
villain  that  is  haled  to  the 
rack  for  murdering  his 
prince,  or  that  is  broken 
upon  the  wheel  for  sacri- 
lege 1  His  cup  is  full  of 
pure  and  unmingled  sorrow  : 
his  body  is  rent  with  tor- 
ment, his  name  with  igno- 
miny, his  Soul  with  shame 
and  sorrow^  which  are  to  last 
eternally.  But  when  a  man 
sufiers  in  a  good  cause,  or 
is  afflicted  and  yet  walks 
not  perversely  with  his  God, 
then  Anytus  and  Melitus 
may  kill  me,  hut  they  can- 
not hurt  me  * .'  then  Saint 
Paul's  character  is  engraven 
in  the  forehead  of  our  for- 
tune ;  ^ye  are  troubled  on 
every  side,  but  not  distressed ; 


Socrates. 


114 


OP  CONTENTEDNESS. 


2')erplexed^  hut  not  in  de- 
spair;  Persecuted^  hut  not 
forsaken ;  cast  doiv?i,  hut 
not  destroyed^.  And  who  is 
he  that  will  harm  you,  if 
ye  he  folloioers  of  that  lohich 
is  good^  ?  For  indeed  every 
thing  in  the  world  is  indif- 
ferent, but  sin  :  and  all  the 
scorchings  of  the  sun  are 
very  tolerable  in  respect  of 
the  burnings  of  a  fever  or  a 
calenture.  The  greatest  evils 
are  from  within  us :  and 
from  ourselves  also  we  must 
look  for  our  greatest  good  ; 
for  God  is  the  fountain  of  it, 
but  reaches  it  to  us  by  our 
own  hands  :  and  when  all 
things  look  sadly  round 
about  us,  then  only  we  shall 
find  how  excellent  a  fortune 
it  is  to  have  God  to  our 
friend  ;  and  of  all  friend- 
ships that  only  is  created  to 
support  us  in  our  needs. 
For  it  is  sin  that  turns  an 
ague  into  a  fever,  and  a 
fever  to  the  plague,  fear 
into  despair,  anger  into  rage, 
and  loss  into  madness,  and 
sorrow  to  amazement  and 
confusion  :  but  if  either  we 
were  innocent,  or  else  by  the 
sadness  are  made  penitent, 
we  are  put  to  school,  or  into 
the  theatre,  either  to  learn 
how,  or  else  actually  to 
combat  for  a  Crown ;  the 
accident  may  serve  an  end 

f  2  Cor.  iv.  8,  9. 


of  mercy,  but  is  not  a  mes- 
senger of  wrath. 

Let  us  [not]  therefore  be 
governed  by  external,  and 
present,  and  seeming  things; 
nor  let  us  make  the  same 
judgment  of  things  that 
common  and  weak  under- 
standings do  ;  nor  make 
other  men,  and  they  not  the 
wisest,  to  be  judges  of  our 
felicity,  so  that  we  be  happy 
or  miserable  as  they  please 
to  think  us  :  but  let  Reason, 
and  experience,  and  Keli- 
gion,  and  hope  relying  upon 
the  Divine  promises,  be  the 
measure  of  our  judgment. 
No  wise  man  did  ever  de- 
scribe felicity  without  vir- 
tue ;  and  no  good  man  did 
ever  think  virtue  could  de- 
pend upon  the  variety  of  a 
good  or  bad  fortune.  It  is 
no  evil  to  be  poor,  but  to  be 
vicious  and  impatient. 


to  obtain  Content  by 
way  of  Consideration. 

To  these  exercises  and 
spiritual  instruments  if  we 
add  the  following  consider- 
ations concerning  the  nature 
and  circumstances  of  human 
chance,  we  may  better  se- 
cure our  peace.  For  as  to 
children,  who  are  afraid  of 
vain  images,  we  use  to  per- 
suade confidence  by  making 
them   to   handle   and   look 

E  1  Pet.  iii.  13 ;  iv.  15,  ]  6. 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


115 


nearer  such  things,  tliat 
when  in  such  a  familiarity 
they  perceive  them  innocent, 
they  may  overcome  their 
fears  ;  so  must  timorous, 
fantastical,  sad,  and  discon- 
tented persons  be  treated  : 
they  must  be  made  to  con- 
sider and  on  all  sides  to 
look  upon  the  accident,  and 
to  take  all  its  dimensions, 
and  consider  its  conse- 
quences, and  to  behold  the 
purpose  of  God,  and  the 
common  mistakes  of  men, 
and  their  evil  sentences 
they  usually  pass  upon  them. 
For  then  we  shall  perceive 
that  like  colts  of  unmanaged 
horses  we  start  at  dead 
bones  and  lifeless  blocks, 
things  that  are  inactive  as 
they  are  innocent.  But  if 
we  secure  our  hopes  and  our 
fears,  and  make  them  mode- 
rate and  within  government, 
we  may  the  sooner  overcome 
the  evil  of  the  accident  ; 
For  nothing  that  we  feel  is 
so  bad  as  what  we  fear. 

1.  Consider  that  the  uni- 
versal providence  of  God 
hath  so  ordered  it,  that  the 
good  things  of  Nature  and 
Fortune  are  divided,  that 
we  may  know  how  to  bear 
our  own  and  relieve  each 
other's  wants  and  imperfec- 
tions. It  is  not  for  a  Man, 
but  for  a  God,  to  have  all 
excellencies  and  all  felicities. 


He  supports  my  poverty 
with  his  wealth  ;  I  counsel 
and  instruct  him  with  my 
learning  and  experience. 
He  hath  many  friends,  I 
many  children  :  He  hath 
no  heir,  I  have  no  inherit- 
ance :  and  any  one  great 
blessing  together  with  the 
common  portions  of  Nature 
and  necessity  is  a  fair  for- 
tune, if  it  be  but  health  or 
strength,  or  the  swiftness  of 
Ahimaaz.  For  it  is  an  un- 
reasonable discontent  to  be 
troubled  that  I  have  not  so 
good  cocks  or  dogs  or  horses 
as  my  neighbour,  being  more 
troubled  that  I  want  one 
thing  that  I  need  not,  than 
thankful  for  having  received 
all  that  I  need.  Nero  had 
this  disease,  that  he  was  not 
content  with  the  fortune  of 
the  whole  empire,  but  put 
the  fiddlers  to  death  for  be- 
ing more  skilful  in  the  trade 
than  he  was  :  and  Dionysius 
the  elder  was  so  angry  at 
Philoxenus  for  singing,  and 
with  Plato  for  disputing, 
better  than  he  did,  that  he 
sold  Plato  a  slave  into 
^gina,  and  condemned 
the  other  to  the  quarries. 

This  consideration  is  to 
be  enlarged  by  adding  to 
it,  that  there  are  some  in- 
stances of  fortune  and  a 
fair  condition  that  cannot 
stand  with  some  others,  but 


116 


OF  C0NTENTEDNE8S. 


if  you  desire  this,  you  must 
lose  that ;  and  unless  you 
be  content  with  one,  you 
lose  the  comfort  of  both. 
If  you  covet  Learning,  you 
must  have  leisure  and  a 
retired  life  :  if  to  be  a  poli- 
tician, you  must  go  abroad 
and  get  experience,  and  do 
all  businesses,  and  keep  all 
company,  and  have  no  lei- 
sure at  all.  If  you  will  be 
rich,  you  must  be  frugal : 
if  you  will  be  popular,  you 
must  be  bountiful :  if  a 
philosopher,  you  must  de- 
spise riches.  The  Greek 
that  designed  to  make  the 
most  exquisite  picture  that 
could  be  imagined,  fancied 
the  eye  of  Chione,  and  the 
hair  of  Pcegnium,  and  Tar- 
sia's lip,  Philenhiin's  chin, 
and  the  forehead  of  Del- 
phia,  and  set  all  these  upon 
Milphidippa' s  neck,  and 
thought  that  he  should 
out-do  both  art  and  nature. 
But  when  he  came  to  view 
the  proportions,  he  found 
that  what  was  excellent  in 
Tarsia  did  not  agree  with 
the  other  excellency  of 
Philenium ;  and  although  | 
singly  they  were  rare  pieces, 
yet  in  the  whole  they  made 
a  most  ugly  face.  The 
dispersed  excellencies  and 
blessings  of  many  men,  if 
given  to  one,  would  not 
make   a   handsome,   but   a 


monstrous  fortune.  Use 
therefore  that  faculty  which 
Nature  hath  given  thee, 
and  thy  education  hath 
made  actual,  and  thy  call- 
ing hath  made  a  duty.  But 
if  thou  desirest  to  be  a 
Saint,  refuse  not  his  per- 
secution :  If  thou  wouldest 
be  famous  as  Epaminondas 
or  Fahricius,  accept  also 
of  their  poverty  ;  for  that 
added  lustre  to  their  per- 
sons, and  envy  to  their 
fortune ;  and  their  virtue 
without  it  could  not  have 
been  so  excellent.  Let  Eu- 
phorion  sleep  quietly  with 
his  old  rich  wife  ;  and  let 
Medius  drink* on  with  Alex- 
ander ;  and  remember  thou 
canst  not  have  the  riches 
of  the  first,  unless  you  have 
the  old  wife  too ;  nor  the 
favour  which  the  second 
had  with  his  prince,  unless 
you  buy  it  at  his  price, 
that  is,  lay  thy  sobriety 
down  at  first,  and  thy  health 
a  little  after :  and  then 
their  condition,  though  it 
look  splendidly,  yet  when 
you  handle  it  on  all  sides, 
it  will  prick  your  fingers. 

2.  Consider  how  many  ex- 
cellent personages  in  all 
ages  have  sufiered  as  great 
or  greater  calamities  than 
this  which  now  tempts  thee 
to  impatience.  Agis  was  the 
most  noble  of  the   Greeks, 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


117 


and  yet  his  wife  bore  a  child 
by  Alcihiades :.  and  Philip 
was  prince  oilturcea,  and  yet 
his  wife  ran  away  with  his 
brother  Herod  into  Galilee  : 
and  certainly  in  a  great  for- 
tune that  was  a  great  cala- 
mity. But  these  are  but 
single  instances.  Almost  all 
the  ages  of  the  world  have  no- 
ted, that  their  most  eminent 
scholars  were  most  eminent- 
ly poor  ;  some  by  choice,  but 
most  by  chance,  and  an  in- 
evitable decree  of  Provi- 
dence :  and  in  the  whole 
sex  of  women  God  hath  de- 
creed the  sharpest  pains  of 
child-birth  ;  to  shew  that 
there  is  no  state  exempt 
from  sorrow,  and  yet  that 
the  weakest  persons  have 
strength  more  than  enough 
to  bear  the  greatest  evil : 
and  the  greatest  queens, 
and  the  mothers  of  Saints 
and  Apostles,  have  no  cha- 
racter of  exemption  from 
this  sad  sentence.  But  the 
Lord  of  men  and  Angels 
was  also  the  King  of  suffer- 
ings ;  and  if  thy  coarse 
robe  trouble  thee,  remem- 
ber the  swaddling-clothes 
of  Jesus;  if  thy  bed  be 
uneasy,  yet  it  is  not  worse 
than  His  manger  ;  and  it  is 
no  sadness  to  have  a  thin 
table,  if  thou  callest  to 
mind    that     the    King    of 

*»  Servius 


heaven  and  earth  was  fed 
with  a  little  breast-milk : 
and  yet  besides  this  He 
suffered  all  the  sorrows 
which  we  deserved.  We 
therefore  have  great  rea- 
son to  sit  do\vn  upon  our 
own  hearths,  and  warm 
ourselves  at  our  own  fires, 
and  feed  upon  content  at 
home  ;  for  it  were  a  strange 
pride  to  expect  to  be  more 
gently  treated  by  the  Divine 
Providence  than  the  best 
and  wisest  men,  than  Apo- 
stles and  Saints,  nay,  the 
Son  of  the  Eternal  God,  the 
heir  of  both  the  worlds. 

This  consideration  may 
be  enlarged  by  surveying 
all  the  states  and  families 
of  the  world  :  and  he'^  that 
at  once  saw  JEgiiia  and 
Megara,  Pyrceus  and  Co- 
rinth^ lie  gasping  in  their 
ruins,  and  almost  buried  in 
their  own  heaps,  had  reason 
to  blame  Cicero  for  mourn- 
ing impatiently  the  death 
of  one  woman.  In  the  most 
beauteous  and  splendid  for- 
tune there  are  many  cares 
and  proper  interruptions 
and  allays  :  in  the  fortune 
of  a  prince  there  is  not  the 
coarse  robe  of  beggary  ;  but 
there  are  infinite  cares  : 
and  the  judge  sits  upon 
the  tribunal  with  great 
ceremony   and    ostentation 

Sulpitius. 


118 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


of  fortune  ;  and  yet  at  his 
house  or  in  his  breast  there 
is  something  that  causes 
him  to  sigh  deeply.  Pitta- 
cus  was  a  wise  and  valiant 
man,  but  his  wife  overthrew 
the  table  when  he  had  in- 
vited his  friends :  upon 
which  the  good  man,  to 
excuse  her  incivility  and 
his  own  misfortune,  said, 
That  every  man  had  one 
evil,  and  he  was  most  happy 
that  had  but  that  alone. 
And  if  nothing  else  hap- 
pens, yet  sicknesses  so  often 
do  embitter  the  fortune  and 
content  of  a  family,  that  a 
physician  in  a  few  years, 
and  with  the  practice  upon 
a  very  few  families,  gets 
experience  enough  to  ad- 
minister to  almost  all  dis- 
eases. And  when  thy  little 
misfortune  troubles  thee, 
remember  that  thou  hast 
known  the  best  of  kings 
and  the  best  of  men  put  to 
death  publicly  by  his  own 
subjects!. 

3.  There  are  many  acci- 
dents which  are  esteemed 
great  calamities,  and  yet 
we  have  reason  enough  to 
bear  them  well  and  uncon- 
cernedly ;  for  they  neither 
touch  our  bodies  nor  our 
souls  :  our  health  and  our 
virtue    remain    entire,    our 


life  and  our  reputation.  It 
may  be  I  am  slighted,  or  I 
have  received  ill  language  ; 
but  my  head  aches  not  for 
it,  neither  hath  it  broke  my 
thigh,  nor  taken  away  my 
vii'tue,  unless  I  lose  my 
charity  or  my  patience.  In- 
quire, therefore,  what  you 
are  the  worse,  either  in 
your  soul,  or  in  your  body, 
for  what  hath  happened  : 
for  upon  this  very  stock 
many  evils  will  disappear, 
since  the  body  and  the  soul 
make  up  the  whole  man. 
And  when  the  daughter  of 
Stilpo  proved  a  wanton,  he 
said  it  was  none  of  his  sin, 
and  therefore  there  was  no 
reason  it  should  be  his 
misery.  And  if  an  enemy 
hath  taken  all  that  from  a 
prince  whereby  he  was  a 
king  ;  he  may  refresh  himself 
by  considering  all  that  is  left 
him,  whereby  he  is  a  Man. 

4.  Consider,  that  sad  ac- 
cidents and  a  state  of  afflic- 
tion is  a  School  of  virtue  : 
it  reduces  our  spirits  to 
soberness,  and  our  counsels 
to  moderation  ;  it  corrects 
levity,  and  interrupts  the 
confidence  of  sinning.  It 
is  good  for  me  (said  David) 
that  I  have  been  afflicted,  for 
thereby  I  have  learned  Thy 
laio^.      And,   /   know,   (0 


'  Charles  the   First,  martyred  A.D.   1649.      The   first  edition  of  the 
Holy  Living"  was  published  A..D.  1650. — Ed.  "^  Ps.  cxix.  71. 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


119 


Lord)  that  Thou  of  very 
faithfulness  hast  caused  me 
to  he  troubled^.  For  God, 
who  in  mercy  and  wisdom 
governs  the  world,  would 
never  have  suffered  so  many 
sadnesses,  and  have  sent 
them  especially  to  the  most 
virtuous  and  the  wisest  men, 
but  that  He  intends  they 
should  be  the  seminary  of 
comfort,  the  nursery  of  vir- 
tue, the  exercise  of  wisdom, 
the  trial  of  patience,  the 
venturing  for  a  crown,  and 
the  gate  of  glory, 

5.  Consider  that  afflic- 
tions are  often  times  the 
occasions  of  great  temporal 
advantages :  and  we  must 
not  look  upon  them  as  they 
sit  down  heavily  upon  us, 
but  as  they  serve  some  of 
God's  ends,  and  the  pur- 
poses of  universal  provi- 
dence. And  when  a  prince 
fights  justly,  and  yet  un- 
prosperously ;  if  he  could 
see  all  those  reasons  for 
which  God  hath  so  ordered 
it,  he  would  think  it  the 
most  reasonable  thing  in 
the  world,  and  that  it  would 
be  very  ill  to  have  it  other- 
wise. If  a  man  could  have 
opened  one  of  the  pages  of 
the  Divine  counsel,  and 
could  have  seen  the  event 
of  Joseph's  being  sold  to  the 
merchants   of  Amalek,    he 

'  Ps.  cxix,  75. 


might  with  much  reason 
have  dried  up  the  young 
man's  tears ;  and  when  God's 
purposes  are  opened  in  the 
events  of  things,  as  it  was 
in  the  case  of  Joseph,  when 
he  sustained  his  father's 
family  and  became  lord  of 
Egypt ;  then  we  see  what 
ill  judgment  we  made  of 
things,  and  that  we  were 
passionate  as  children,  and 
transported  with  sense  and 
mistaken  interest.  The  case 
of  Themistocles  was  almost 
like  that  of  Joseph;  for 
being  banished  into  Egypt, 
he  also  grew  in  favour  with 
the  king,  and  told  his  wife. 
He  had  been  undotu  unless 
he  had  been  undone.  For 
God  esteems  it  one  of  His 
glories  that  He  brings  good 
out  of  evil :  and  therefore  it 
were  but  reason  we  should 
trust  God  to  govern  His  own 
world  as  He  pleases ;  and 
that  we  should  patiently 
wait  till  the  change  cometh'", 
or  the  reason  be  discovered. 
And  this  consideration  is 
also  of  great  use  to  them 
who  envy  at  the  prosperity 
of  the  wicked,  and  the  suc- 
cess of  persecutors,  and  the 
baits  of  fishes,  and  the  bread 
of  dogs.  God  fails  not  to 
sow  blessings  in  the  long 
furrows  which  the  ploughers 
plough  upon   the   back   of 

™  Job  xiv.  14. 


120 


OP  CONTENTEDNESS. 


the  Church :  and  this  suc- 
cess, which  troubles  us,  will 
be  a  great  glory  to  God,  and 
a  great  benefit  to  His  Saints 
and  servants,  and  a  great 
ruin  to  the  persecutors,  who 
shall  have  but  the  fortune 
of  Theramenes  ,  one  of  the 
thirty  tyrants  oi  Athens, viho 
scaped  when  his  house  fell 
upon  him,  and  was  shortly 
after  put  to  death  with  tor- 
ments by  his  colleagues  in 
the  tyranny. 

To  which  also  may  be 
added,  that  the  great  evils, 
which  happen  to  the  best 
and  wisest  men,  are  one  of 
the  great  arguments,  upon 
the  strength  of  which  we 
can  expect  felicity  to  our 
souls  and  the  joys  of  an- 
other world.  And  certainly 
they  are  then  very  tolerable 
and  eligible,  when  with  so 
great  advantages  they  min- 
ister to  the  faith  and  hope 
of  a  Christian.  But  if  we 
consider  what  unspeakable 
tortures  are  provided  for 
the  wicked  to  all  eternity, 
we  should  not  be  troubled 
to  see  them  prosperous  here, 
but  rather  wonder  that  their 
portion  in  this  life  is  not 
bigger,  and  that  ever  they 
should  be  sick,  or  crossed, 
or  afironted,  or  troubled  with 
the  contradiction  and  dis- 
ease of  their  own  vices ; 
since,  if  they  were  fortunate 


beyond  their  own  ambition, 
it  could  not  make  them  re- 
compence  for  one  hour's  tor- 
ment in  Hell,  which  yet  they 
shall  have  for  their  eternal 
portion. 

After  all  these  consider- 
ations deriving  from  sense 
and  experience,  grace,  and 
reason,  there  are  two  reme- 
dies still  remaining ;  and 
they  are  Necessity  and  Time. 

6.  For  it  is  but  reason- 
able to  bear  that  accident 
patiently  which  God  sends, 
since  impatience  does  l)ut 
entangle  us  like  the  flutter- 
ing of  a  bird  in  a  net,  but 
can  not  at  all  ease  our  trou- 
ble, or  prevent  the  accident : 
it  must  be  run  through  ; 
and  therefore  it  were  better 
we  compose  ourselves  to  a 
patient,  than  to  a  troubled 
and  miserable  suffering. 

7.  But  however,  if  you 
will  not  otherwise  be  cui  ed, 
time  at  last  will  do  it  alone ; 
and  then  consider,  do  you 
mean  to  mourn  always,  or 
but  for  a  time  ?  If  always, 
you  are  miserable  and  fool- 
ish. If  for  a  time,  then  why 
will  you  not  apply  those 
reasons  to  your  grief  at  first, 
with  which  you  will  cure  it 
at  last  1  or  if  you  will  not 
cure  it  with  reason,  see  how 
little  of  a  man  there  is  in 
you,  that  you  sufler  time  to 
do  more  with  you  than  Rea- 


or  CONTENTEDNESS. 


121 


son  or  Religion.  You  suffer 
yourselves  to  be  cured,  just 
as  a  beast  or  a  tree  is ;  let 
it  alone,  and  the  thing  will 
heal  itself:  but  this  is  nei- 
ther honourable  to  thy  per- 
son, nor  of  reputation  to 
thy  Religion.  However,  be 
content  to  bear  thy  cala- 
mity, because  thou  art  sure 
in  a  little  time  it  will  sit 
down  gentle  and  easy  :  for 
to  a  mortal  man  no  evil  is 
immortal.  And  here  let  the 
worst  thing  happen  that 
can,  it  will  end  in  death ; 
and  we  commonly  think 
that  to  be  near  enough. 

8.  Lastly,  of  those  things 
which  are  reckoned  amongst 
evils,  some  are  better  than 
their  contraries  ;  and  to  a 
good  man  the  very  worst  is 
tolerable. 

Poverty  or  a  low  Fortune. 

1.  Poverty  is  better  than 
riches,  and  a  mean  fortune 
to  be  chosen  before  a  great 
and  splendid  one.  It  is  in- 
deed despised,  and  makes 
men  contemptible  :  it  ex- 
poses a  man  to  the  inso- 
lence of  evil  persons,  and 
leaves  a  man  defenceless  : 
it  is  always  suspected  :  its 
stories  are  accounted  lies, 
and  all  its  counsels  follies  : 
it  puts  a  man  from  all  em- 
ployment :  it  makes  a  man's 
discourses  tedious,  and  his 


society  troublesome.  This 
is  the  worst  of  it :  and  yet 
all  this,  and  far  worse  than 
this,  the  Apostles  suffered 
for  being  Christians  ;  and 
Christianity  itself  may  be 
esteemed  an  affliction  as 
well  as  poverty,  if  this  be 
all  that  can  be  said  against 
it ;  for  the  Apostles  and  the 
most  eminent  Christians 
were  really  poor,  and  were 
used  contemptuously  :  and 
yet,  that  poverty  is  despised 
may  be  an  argument  to 
commend  it,  if  it  be  de- 
spised by  none  but  persons 
vicious  and  ignorant.  How- 
ever, certain  it  is,  that  a 
great  fortune  is  a  great 
vanity,  and  riches  is  no- 
thing but  danger,  trouble, 
and  temptation  ;  like  a  gar- 
ment that  is  too  long,  and 
bears  a  train  ;  not  so  useful 
to  one,  but  it  is  trouble- 
some to  two  ;  to  him  that 
bears  the  one  part  upon 
his  shoulders,  and  to  him 
that  bears  the  other  part 
in  his  hand.  But  poverty 
is  the  sister  of  a  good  mind, 
the  parent  of  sober  coun- 
sels, and  the  nurse  of  all 
virtue. 

For  what  is  it  that  you 
admire  in  the  fortune  of  a 
great  king  ?  Is  it  that  he 
always  goes  in  a  great  com- 
pany ?  You  may  thrust 
yourself     into     the     same 


122 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


crowd,  or  go  often  to  Church, 
and  then  you  have  as  great 
a  company  as  he  hath ;  and 
that  may  upon  as  good 
grounds  please  you  as  him, 
that  is,  justly  neither :  for 
so  impertinent  and  useless 
pomp,  and  the  other  cir- 
cumstances of  his  distance, 
are  not  made  for  him,  but 
for  his  subjects  ;  that  they 
may  learn  to  separate  him 
from  common  usages,  and 
be  taught  to  be  governed. 
But  if  you  look  upon  them 
as  fine  things  in  themselves, 
you  may  quickly  alter  your 
opinion,  when  you  shall 
consider,  that  they  cannot 
cure  the  tooth-ache,  nor 
make  one  wise,  or  fill  the 
belly,  or  give  one  night's 
sleep,  (though  they  help  to 
break  many,)  not  satisfying 
any  appetite  of  Nature,  or 
Reason,  or  Religion  :  but 
they  are  states  of  greatness, 
which  only  makes  it  possi- 
ble for  a  man  to  be  made 
extremely  miserable.  And 
it  was  long  ago  observ- 
ed by  the  Greek  Trage- 
dians, and  from  them  by 
Arrianus,  saying,  "  That  all 
our  tragedies  are  of  kings 
and  princes,  and  rich  or 
ambitious  personages  ;  but 
you  never  see  a  poor  man 
have  a  part,  unless  it  be  as 
a  Chorus,  or  to  fill  up  the 
scenes ;  to  dance,  or  to  be 


derided  :  but  the  kings  and 
the  great  generals.  First 
(says  he)  they  begm  with 
jo}',  (Tre^paTe  Sw/iaro,  crown 
the  houses :  but  about  the 
third  or  fourth  act  they  cry 
out,  0  Citheron  !  why  didst 
thou  spare  my  life  to  re- 
serve me  for  this  more  sad 
calamity?"  And  this  is 
really  true  in  the  great  ac- 
cidents of  the  world :  for  a 
great  estate  hath  great 
crosses,  and  a  mean  fortune 
hath  but  small  ones.  It 
may  be  the  poor  man  loses 
a  cow ;  for  if  his  child  dies, 
he  is  quit  of  his  biggest 
care  ;  but  such  an  accident 
in  a  rich  and  splendid 
family  doubles  upon  the 
spirits  of  the  parents.  Or, 
it  may  be,  the  poor  man  is 
troubled  to  pay  his  rent, 
and  that  is  his  biggest  trou- 
ble :  but  it  is  a  bigger  care 
to  secure  a  great  fortune  in 
a  troubled  estate ;  or  with 
equal  greatness,  or  with  the 
circumstances  of  honour, 
and  the  niceness  of  reputa- 
tion, to  defend  a  law-suit : 
and  that  which  will  secure 
a  common  man's  whole  es- 
ta,te,  is  not  enough  to  defend 
a  great  man's  honour. 

And  therefore  it  was  not 
without  mystery  observed 
among  the  ancients,  that 
they  who  made  Gods  of  gold 
and  silver,  of  hope  and  fear, 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


123 


peace  and  fortune,  garlick 
and  onions,  beasts  and  ser- 
pents, and  a  quartan  ague, 
yet  never  deified  money : 
meaning,  that  however 
wealth  was  admired  by 
common  or  abused  under- 
standings ;  yet  from  riches, 
that  is,  from  that  propor- 
tion of  good  things  which 
is  beyond  the  necessities  of 
nature,  no  moment  could  be 
added  to  a  man's  real  con- 
tent or  happiness.  Corn 
from  Sardinia,  herds  of 
Calabrian  cattle,  meadows 
through  which  pleasant 
Liris  glides,  silks  from 
Tyriis,  and  golden  chalices 
to  drown  my  health  in,  are 
nothing  but  instruments  of 
vanity  or  sin,  and  suppose 
a  disease  in  the  soul  of  him 
that  longs  for  them  or  ad- 
mires them.  And  this  I 
have  otherwhere  represent- 
ed more  largely  "  ;  to  which 
I  here  add,  that  riches  have 
very  great  dangers  to  their 
souls,  not  only  ^vho  covet 
them,  but  to  all  that  have 
them.  For  if  a  great  per- 
sonage undertakes  an  ac- 
tion passionately  and  upon 
great  interest,  let  him 
manage  it  indiscreetly,  let 
the  whole  design  be  unjust, 
let  it  be  acted  with  all  the 
malice   and    impotency   in 

"  Chap.  iv.  sect.  viii.  §  3. 
°  James  ii.  5 — 7. 

g2 


the  world ;  he  shall  have 
enough  to  flatter  him,  but 
not  enough  to  reprove  him. 
He  had  need  be  a  bold  man 
that  shall  tell  his  patron, 
he  is  going  to  Hell;  and 
that  prince  had  need  be  a 
good  man  that  shall  suffer 
such  a  monitor :  And  though 
it  be  a  strange  kind  of  civi- 
lity, and  an  evil  dutifulness 
in  friends  and  relatives  to 
suffer  him  to  perish  without 
reproof  or  medicine,  rather 
than  to  seem  unmannerly 
to  a  great  sinner ;  yet  it  is 
none  of  their  least  infelici- 
ties, that  their  wealth  and 
greatness  shall  put  them 
into  sin,  and  yet  put  them 
past  reproof.  I  need  not 
instance  in  the  habitual  in- 
temperance of  rich  tables, 
nor  the  evil  accidents  and 
effects  of  fulness,  pride  and 
lust,  wantonness  and  soft- 
ness of  disposition,  huge 
talking  and  an  imperious 
spirit,  despite  of  religion 
and  contempt  of  poor  per- 
sons o ;  At  the  best,  it  is  a 
great  temi:>tation  for  a  man 
to  have  in  his  poiver  ichat- 
soever  he  can  have  in  his 
sensual  desires:  and  there- 
fore riches  is  a  blessing  like 
to  a  present  made  of  a  whole 
vintage  to  a  man  in  a  hectic 
fever ;    he    will    be    much 


Title  of  Covetousness. 


124 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


tempted  to  drink  of  it ;  and 
if  he  does,  he  is  inflamed, 
and  may  chance  to  die  with 
the  kindness. 

Now  besides  what  hath 
been  ah-eady  noted  in  the 
state  of  poverty,  there  is 
nothing  to  be  accounted  for 
but  the  fear  of  icanting  ne- 
cessaries; of  which  if  a  man 
could  be  secured,  that  he 
might  live  free  from  care, 
all  the  other  parts  of  it 
might  be  reckoned  amongst 
the  advantages  of  wise  and 
sober  persons,  rather  than 
objections  against  that  state 
of  fortune. 

But  concerning  this  I 
consider,  that  there  must 
needs  be  great  security  to 
all  Christians;  since  Christ 
not  only  made  express  pro- 
mises that  we  should  have 
sufficient  for  this  life,  but 
also  took  great  pains  and 
used  many  arguments  to 
create  confidence  in  us :  and 
such  they  were,  Avhich  by 
their  own  strength  were 
sufficient,  though  you  abate 
the  authority  of  the  speaker. 
The  Son  of  God  told  us.  His 
Father  takes  care  of  us :  He 
that  knew  all  His  Father's 
counsels  and  His  whole 
kindness  towards  mankind, 
told  us  so.  How  great  is 
that  truth,  how  certain,  how 
necessary,whichC%riSif  Him- 
self proved  by  arguments! 


The    excellent  words    and 
most  comfortable  sentences, 
which  are  our  Bills  of  Ex- 
change, upon  the  credit  of 
which    we    lay    our    cares 
down,    and    receive    provi- 
sions for  our  need,  are  these ; 
l^ake  no  thought  for  your 
life,   what  ye   shall  eat  or 
lohat  ye  shall  drink;   nor 
yet  for  your  body,  what  ye 
shall  put  on.     Is  not  the 
life  more  than  meat,  and  the 
body  than  raiment  ?  Behold 
the  fou'ls   of  the   air ;  for 
they  sow  not,  neither  do  they 
reap,  nor  gather  into  barns; 
yet  your  Heavenly  Father 
feedeth  them.     Are  ye  not 
much    better    than    they  ? 
Which    of   you    by   taking 
thought  can  add  one  cubit 
to  his  stature  ?     And  why 
take  ye  thought  for  raiment  2 
Consider   the   lilies   of   the 
field,  how  they  grow  :  They 
toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin; 
and  yet  I  say  unto  you,  that 
even    Solomon    in   all   his 
glory  was  not  arrayed  like 
one  of  these.     Therefore  if 
God  so  clothe  the  grass  of 
the  field,   which   to-day   is, 
and  to-morrow  is  cast  into 
the  oven,  shall  he  not  onuch 
more   clothe  you,   0  ye   of 
little  faith?    Therefore  take 
no    thought,   saying,    What 
shall  we  eat  ?  or  ichat  shall 
ive  drink?   or  wherewithal 
shall  we  be  clothed?    {for 


OF  CONTE^'TEDXESS. 


125 


after  all  these  things  do  the  may  boldly  say,  The  Lord 
Gentiles  seek:)  For  your  is  my  helper^.  And  all  this 
Heaverdy  Farther  knoiveth  is  by  *S'.  Peter  summed  up 
that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  i  in    our    duty,  thus.      Cast 


things.  But  seek  ye  first  the 
Kingdom  of  God  and  His 
righteousness.,  and  all  these 
things  shall  he  added  unto 
you.  Take  therefore  no 
thought  for  the  morrow ; 
for  the  morrow  shall  take 
thought  for  the  things  of 
Itself:  sufficient  to  the  day 
is  the  evil  thereof^.  The  same 
discourse  is  repeated  by 
Saint  Luke's  :  and  accord- 
ingly our  duty  is  urged,  and 
our  confidence  abetted,  by 
the  Disciples  of  our  Lord, 
in  divers  places  of  holy 
Scripture.  So  Saint  Paul; 
Be  careful  for  nothing,  hut 
in  every  thing  hy  prayer  and 
supplication,  with  thanks- 
giving, let  your  requests  he 
madeknovrn  unto  God^.  And 
again  ;  Charge  them  that  are 
rich  in  this  world,  that  they 
he  not  high-minded,  nor 
trust  in  uncertain  riches; 
hut  in  the  living  God,  who 
giveth  us  richly  all  things 
to  enjoys.  And  yet  again  ; 
Zet  your  conversation  he 
without  covetous7iess,  and  he 
content  with  such  things  as 
ye  have  ;  for  He  hath 


all  your  care  upon  Him, 
for  He  careth  for  you"". 
Which  words  he  seems  to 
have  borrowed  out  of  the 
Iv.*'^  Psalm,  ver.  23,  where 
David  saith  the  same  thing 
almost  in  the  same  words. 
To  Avhich  I  only  add  the 
observation  made  by  him, 
and  the  argument  of  ex- 
perience ;  I  have  been  young 
and  now  am  old,  and  yet 
saw  I  never  the  righteous 
forsaken,  nor  his  seed  beg- 
ging their  bread  ".  And  now 
after  all'  this,  a  fearless  con- 
fidence in  God,  and  con- 
cerning a  provision  of 
necessaries,  is  so  reason- 
able, that  it  is  become  a 
duty ;  and  he  is  scarce  a 
Christian,  whose  faith  is  so 
little  as  to  be  jealous  of 
God  and  suspicious  con- 
cerning meat  and  clothes  : 
that  man  hath  nothing  in 
him  of  the  nobleness  or 
confidence  of  Charity. 

Does  not  God  provide  for 
all  the  birds  and  beasts  and 
fishes  ?  Do  not  the  spar- 
rows fly  from  their  bush, 
and     every    morning    find 


/  will  never  leave  thee,  nor    meat   where    they    laid    it 
forsake    thee :    so    that    we  I  not  %      Do   not   the   young 


p  Matt.  vi.  25,  &c.     >J  Luke  xii.  22. 
t  Hcb.  xiii.  5,  6.         »  1  Pet.  v.  7. 


'  Phil.iv.  6.      »  1  Tim.  vi.  15 
»   Psalm  xxsrii.  25. 


126 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


ravens  call  to  God,  and  He 
feeds  them  ?  And  were  it 
reasonable  that  the  sons  of 
the  family  should  fear  the 
Father  would  give  meat  to 
the  chickens  and  the  ser- 
vants, His  sheep  and  His 
dogs,  but  give  none  to 
them  ?  He  were  a  very  ill 
Father  that  should  do  so  : 
or  he  were  a  very  foolish 
son  that  should  think  so  of 
a  good  Father.  *But  be- 
sides the  reasonableness  of 
this  faith  and  this  hope,  we 
have  infinite  experience  of 
it :  How  innocent,  how  care- 
less, how  secure  is  Infancy  ! 
and  yet  how  certainly  pro- 
vided !  We  have  lived  at 
God's  charges  all  the  days 
of  our  life,  and  have  (as  the 
Italian  proverb  says)  set 
down  to  meat  at  the  sound 
of  a  bell ;  and  hitherto  He 
hath  not  failed  us  :  we  have 
no  reason  to  suspect  Him 
for  the  future :  we  do  not 
use  to  serve  men  so ;  and 
less  time  of  trial  creates 
great  confidences  in  us  to- 
wards them  Avho  for  twenty 
years  together  never  broke 
their  word  with  us  :  and 
God  hath  so  ordered  it,  that 
a  man  shall  have  had  the 
experience  of  many  years 
provision,  before  he  shall 
understand  how  to  doubt ; 
that  he  may  be  provided 
yRom. 


for  an  answer  against  the 
temptation  shall  come,  and 
the  mercies  felt  in  his  child- 
hood may  make  him  fear- 
less when  he  is  a  man, 
*  Add  to  this,  that  God  hath 
given  us  His  Holy  Spirit ; 
He  hath  promised  Heaven 
to  us  ;  He  hath  given  us 
His  Son ;  and  we  are  taught 
from  Scripture  to  make  this 
inference  from  hence,  Hoiu 
should  not  He  with  Hirii 
give  us  all  things  else^  ? 

The  Charge  of  many  Chil- 
dren. 

We  have  a  title  to  be 
provided  for,  as  we  are 
God's  creatures  ;  another 
title,  as  we  are  His  chil- 
dren ;  another,  because  God 
hath  promised :  and  every 
of  our  children  hath  the 
same  title  :  and  therefore  it 
is  a  huge  folly  and  infidelity 
to  be  troubled  and  full  of 
care  because  we  have  many 
children.  Every  child  we 
have  to  feed  is  a  new  re- 
venue, a  new  title  to  God's 
care  and  providence  ;  so 
that  many  children  are  a 
great  wealth :  and  if  it  be 
said  they  are  chargeable,  it 
is  no  more  than  all  wealth 
and  great  revenues  are.  For 
what  difference  is  it  1  Ti- 
tius  keeps  ten  ploughs,  Cor- 
nelia hath  ten  children.  He 

viii.  32. 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


127 


lip.th  land  enough  to  em- 
ploy and  to  feed  all  his 
hinds  ;  she  blessings,  and 
promises,  and  the  provi- 
sions and  the  truth  of  God, 
to  maintain  all  her  chil- 
dren. His  hinds  and  horses 
eat  up  all  his  corn ;  and  her 
children  are  sufficiently 
maintained  with  her  little. 
They  bring  in  and  eat  up  ; 
and  she  indeed  eats  up,  but 
they  also  bring  in  from  the 
store-houses  of  heaven,  and 
the  granaries  of  God  :  and 
my  children  are  not  so 
much  mine,  as  they  are 
God's ;  He  feeds  them  in 
the  womb  by  ways  secret 
and  insensible  ;  and  would 
not  work  a  perpetual  mira- 
cle to  bring  them  forth,  and 
then  to  starve  them. 

Violent  necessities. 
But  some  men  are  highly 
tempted,  and  are  brought 
to  a  strait ;  that  without  a 
miracle  they  cannot  be  re- 
lieved :  what  shall  they  do  ? 
It  may  be,  their  pride  or 
vanity  hath  brought  the 
necessity  upon  them,  and  it 
is  not  a  need  of  God's  mak- 
ing :  and  if  it  be  not,  they 
must  cure  it  themselves  by 
lessening  their  desires,  and 
moderating  their  appetites  ; 
and  yet  if  it  be  innocent, 
though  unnecessary,  God 
»  1  Tim.  vi.  8; 


does  usually  relieve  such 
necessities ;  and  He  does 
not  only  upon  our  prayers 
grant  us  more  than  He  pro- 
mised of  temporal  things, 
but  also  He  gives  many 
times  more  than  we  ask. 
This  is  no  object  for  our 
faith,  but  ground  enough 
for  a  temporal  and  prudent 
hope  :  and  if  we  fail  in  the 
particular,  God  will  turn  it 
to  a  bigger  mercy,  if  we 
submit  to  His  dispensation, 
and  adore  Him  in  the  de- 
nial. But  if  it  be  a  matter 
of  necessity,  let  not  any 
man  by  way  of  impatience 
cry  out  that  God  will  not 
work  a  miracle  ;  for  God  by 
miracle  did  give  meat  and 
drink  to  His  people  in  the 
wilderness,  of  which  He  had 
made  no  particular  promise 
in  any  Covenant :  and  if  all 
natural  means  fail,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  God  will  rather 
work  a  miracle  than  break 
His  word  ;  He  can  do  that, 
He  cannot  do  this.  Only 
we  must  remember,  that 
our  portion  of  temporal 
things  is  but  food  and  rai- 
ment '^ :  God  hath  not  pro- 
mised us  coaches  and  hor- 
ses, rich  houses  and  jewels, 
Tyrian  silks  and  Persian 
carpets  ;  neither  hath  He 
promised  to  minister  to  our 
needs  in  such  circumstances 
Matt,  vi,  30—33. 


128 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


as  we  shall  appoint,  but 
such  as  Himself  shall 
choose.  God  will  enable 
either  thee  to  pay  thy  debt, 
(if  thou  beggest  it  of  Him), 
or  else  He  will  pay  it  for 
thee  ;  that  is,  take  thy  de- 
sire as  a  discharge  of  thy 
duty,  and  pay  it  to  thy 
creditor  in  blessings,  or  in 
some  secret  of  His  provi- 
dence. It  may  be.  He  hath 
laid  up  the  corn  that  shall 
feed  thee  in  the  granary  of 
thy  brother  ;  or  will  clothe 
thee  with  his  wool.  He 
enabled  Saint  Peter  to  pay 
his  gabel  by  the  ministery 
of  a  fish  ;  and  Elias  to  be 
waited  on  by  a  crow,  who 
was  both  his  minister  and 
his  steward  for  provisions  : 
and  His  Holy  Son  rode  in 
triumph  upon  an  ass  that 
grazed  in  another  man's 
pastures.  And  if  God  gives 
to  him  the  dominion,  and 
reserves  the  use  to  thee, 
thou  hast  the  better  half  of 
the  two  :  but  the  charitable 
man  serves  God  and  serves 
thy  need  ;  and  both  join  to 
provide  for  thee,  and  God 
blesses  both.  But  if  He 
takes  away  the  flesh-pots 
from  thee,  He  can  also  alter 
the  appetite,  and  He  hath 
given  thee  power  and  com- 
mandment to  restrain  it : 
and  if  He  lessens  the  re- 
venue, He  will  also  shrink 


the  necessity ;  or  if  He 
gives  but  a  very  little,  He 
will  make  it  go  a  great 
way ;  or  if  He  sends  thee 
but  a  coarse  diet,  He  will 
bless  it  and  make  it  health- 
ful ;  and  can  cure  all  the 
anguish  of  thy  poverty  by 
giving  thee  patience,  and 
the  grace  of  Contentedness. 
For  the  grace  of  God  se- 
cures you  of  provisions,  and 
yet  the  grace  of  God  feeds 
and  supports  the  spirit  in 
the  want  of  provisions  :  and 
if  a  thin  table  be  apt  to 
enfeeble  the  spirits  of  one 
used  to  feed  better,  yet  the 
cheerfulness  of  a  spirit  that 
is  blessed  will  make  a  thin 
table  become  a  delicacy,  if 
the  man  v/as  as  well  taught 
as  he  was  fed,  and  learned 
his  duty  when  he  received 
the  blessing.  Poverty,  there- 
fore, is  in  some  senses  eli- 
gible and  to  be  preferred 
before  riches,  but  in  all 
senses  it  is  very  tolerable. 

Death  of  Children,  or  near- 
est Relatives  and  Frieyids. 

There  are  some  persons 
who  have  been  noted  for 
excellent  in  their  lives  and 
passions,  rarely  innocent, 
and  yet  hugely  penitent  for 
indiscretions  and  harmless 
infirmities  :  such  as  was 
Paidina,  one  of  the  ghostly 
children  of  S.  Hierome ;  and 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


129 


yet,  when  any  of  her  chil- 
dren died,  she  was  arrested 
with  a  sorrow  so  great  as 
brought  her  to  the  margent 
of  her  grave.  And  the  more 
tender  our  spirits  are  made 
by  Religion,  the  more  easy 
we  are  to  let  iu  grief,  if  the 
cause  be  innocent  and  be 
but  in  any  sense  twisted 
with  piety  and  due  affec- 
tions. *To  cure  which,  we 
may  consider,  that  all  the 
world  must  die  ;  and  there- 
fore, to  be  impatient  at  the 
death  of  a  person  concern- 
ing whom  it  was  certain 
and  known  that  he  must 
die,  is  to  mourn  because 
thy  friend  or  child  was  not 
born  an  Angel ;  and  when 
thou  hast  awhile  made  thy- 
self miserable  by  an  impor- 
tunate and  useless  grief,  it 
may  be  thou  shalt  die  thy- 
self, and  leave  others  to 
their  choice  whether  they 
will  mourn  for  thee  or  no  : 
but  by  that  time  it  will  ap- 
pear how  impertinent  that 
grief  was,  which  served  no 
end  of  life,  and  ended  in 
thy  own  funeral.  But  what 
great  matter  is  it  if  sparks 
fly  upward,  or  a  stone  falls 
into  a  pit ;  if  that  which 
was  combustible  be  burned, 
or  that  which  was  liquid  be 
melted,  or  that  which  is 
mortal  do  die  ?  It  is  no 
more    than    a    man    does 


every  day  :  for  every  night 
death  hath  got  possession 
of  that  day,  and  we  shall 
never  live  that  day  over 
again ;  and  when  the  last 
day  is  come,  there  are  no 
more  days  left  for  us  to  die. 
And  what  is  sleeping  and 
waking,  but  living  and  dy- 
ing ?  what  is  Spring  and 
Autumn,  youth  and  old 
age,  morning  and  evening, 
but  real  images  of  life  and 
death,  and  really  the  same 
to  many  considerable  effects 
and  changes  ? 

Untimely  death. 

But  it  is  not  mere  dying, 
that  is  pretended  by  some 
as  the  cause  of  their  impa- 
tient mourning  ;  but  that 
the  child  died  young,  be- 
fore he  knew  good  and  evil, 
his  right  hand  from  his  left, 
and  so  lost  all  his  portion  of 
this  world,  and  they  know 
not  of  what  excellency  his 
portion  in  the  next  shall 
be.  *If  he  died  young,  he 
lost  but  little ;  for  he  under- 
stood but  little,  and  had 
not  capacities  of  great  plea- 
sures or  great  cares :  but 
yet  he  died  innocent,  and 
before  the  sweetness  of  his 
Soul  was  deflowered  and 
ravished  from  him  by  the 
flames  and  follies  of  a  fro- 
ward  age :  he  went  out  from 
the  dining-room  before  he 


g3 


130 


OP  CONTENTEDNESS. 


had  fallen  into  error  by  the 
intemperance  of  his  meat, 
or  the  deluge  of  drink  :  and 
he  hath  obtained  this  favour 
of  God,  that  his  Soul  hath 
suffered  a  less  imprison- 
ment, and  her  load  was 
sooner  taken  off,  that  he 
might  with  lesser  delays  go 
and  converse  with  immortal 
spirits :  and  the  babe  is 
taken  into  Paradise  before 
he  knows  good  and  evil, 
(For  that  knowledge  threw 
our  great  Father  out",  and 
this  ignorance  returns  the 
child  thither.)  *But  (as 
concerning  thy  own  parti- 
cular) remove  thy  thoughts 
back  to  those  days  in  which 
thy  child  was  not  born,  and 
you  are  now  but  as  then 
you  was,  and  there  is  no 
difference  but  that  you  had 
a  son  born :  and  if  you 
reckon  that  for  evil,  you  are 
unthankful  for  the  blessing ; 
if  it  be  good,  it  is  better 
that  you  had  the  blessing 
for  awhile  than  not  at  all ; 
and  yet  if  he  had  never 
been  born,  this  sorrow  had 
not  been  at  all.  But  be  no 
more  displeased  at  God  for 
giving  you  a  blessing  for 
awhile,  than  you  would 
have  been  if  He  had  not 
given  it  at  all ;  and  reckon 
that  intervening  blessing 
for  a  gain,  but  account  it 


not  an  evil ;  and  if  it  be  a 
good,  turn  it  not  into  sorrow 
and  sadness.  *But  if  v/e 
have  great  reason  to  com- 
plain of  the  calamities  and 
evils  of  our  life,  then  we 
have  the  less  reason  to 
grieve  that  those  whom  we 
loved  have  so  small  a  por- 
tion of  evil  assigned  to 
them.  And  it  is  no  small 
advantage  that  our  children 
dying  young  receive :  For 
their  condition  of  a  bless- 
ed immortality  is  rendered 
to  them  secure  by  being 
snatched  from  the  dangers 
of  an  evil  choice,  and  car- 
ried to  their  little  cells  of 
felicity,  where  they  can 
weep  no  more.  And  this 
the  wisest  of  the  Gentiles 
understood  well,  when  they 
forbade  any  offerings  or 
libations  to  be  made  for 
dead  Infants  as  was  usual 
for  their  other  dead ;  as 
believing  they  were  entered 
into  a  secure  possession,  to 
which  they  went  with  no 
other  condition,  but  that 
they  passed  into  it  through 
the  way  of  mortality,  and 
for  a  few  months  wore  an 
uneasy  garment.  And  let 
weeping  parents  say,  if  they 
do  not  think  that  the  evils 
their  little  babes  have  suf- 
fered are  sufficient.  If  they 
be,  why  are  they  troubled 

.  22,  23. 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


131 


that  they  were  taken  from 
those  many  and  greater, 
which  in  succeeding  years 
are  great  enough  to  try  all 
the  Reason  and  Religion 
which  art  and  nature  and 
the  grace  of  God  hath  pro- 
duced in  us,  to  enable  us 
for  such  sad  contentions  ? 
And  possibly  we  may  doubt 
concerning  men  and  women, 
but  we  cannot  suspect  that 
to  Infants  death  can  be 
such  an  evil,  but  that  it 
brings  to  them  much  more 
good  than  it  takes  from 
them  in  this  life. 

Death  unseasonable. 
But  others  can  well  bear 
the  death  of  Infants  :  but 
Avhen  they  have  spent  some 
years  of  childhood  or  youth, 
and  are  entered  into  arts 
and  society,  when  they  are 
hopeful  and  provided  for, 
when  the  parents  are  to 
reap  the  comfort  of  all  their 
fears  and  cares,  then  it 
breaks  the  spirit  to  lose 
them.  This  is  true  in  many; 
but  this  is  not  love  to  the 
dead,  but  to  themselves ; 
for  they  miss  what  they  had 
flattered  themselves  into  by 
hope  and  opinion :  and  if  it 
were  kindness  to  the  dead, 
they  may  consider,  that 
since  we  hope  he  is  gone  to 
God  and  to  rest,  it  is  an  ill 
expression  of  our   love   to 


them,  that  we  weep  for 
their  good  fortune.  For 
that  life  is  not  best  which 
is  longest :  and  when  they 
are  descended  into  the 
grave,  it  shall  not  be  in- 
quired how  long  they  have 
lived,  but  how  well :  and 
yet  this  shortening  of  their 
days  is  an  evil  wholly  de- 
pending upon  opinion.  For 
if  men  did  naturally  live 
but  twenty  years,  then  we 
should  be  satisfied  if  they 
died  about  sixteen  or 
eighteen  ;  and  yet  eighteen 
years  now  are  as  long  as 
eighteen  years  would  be 
then :  and  if  a  man  were 
but  of  a  day's  life,  it  is  well 
if  he  lasts  till  Evensong, 
and  then  says  his  Compline 
an  hour  before  the  time : 
and  we  are  pleased  and  call 
not  that  death  immature  if 
he  lives  till  seventy ;  and 
yet  this  age  is  as  short  of 
the  old  periods  before  and 
since  the  flood,  as  this 
youth's  age  (for  whom  you 
mourn)  is  of  the  present 
fulness.  Suppose  therefore 
a  decree  passed  upon  this 
person  (as  there  have  been 
many  upon  all  mankind) 
and  God  hath  set  him  a 
shorter  period :  and  then 
we  may  as  well  bear  the 
immature  death  of  the 
young  man,  as  the  death  of 
the  oldest  men :    for  they 


132 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


also  are  immature  and  un- 
seasonable in  respect  of  the 
old  periods  of  many  genera- 
tions. *And  why  are  we 
troubled  that  he  had  arts 
and  sciences  before  he  died  1 
or  are  we  troubled  that  he 
does  not  live  to  make  use 
of  them  ?  The  first  is  cause 
of  joy,  for  they  are  excel- 
lent in  order  to  certain 
ends  :  And  the  second  can- 
not be  cause  of  sorrow  ;  be- 
cause he  hath  no  need  to 
use  them  as  the  case  now 
stands,  being  provided  for 
with  the  provisions  of  an 
Angel,  and  the  manner  of 
eternity.  However,  the  sons 
and  the  parents,  friends  and 
relatives  are  in  the  world, 
like  hours  and  minutes  to 
a  day.  The  hour  comes  and 
must  pass  ;  and  some  stay 
but  minutes,  and  they  also 
pass,  and  shall  never  return 
again.  But  let  it  be  con- 
sidered, that  from  the  time 
in  which  a  man  is  conceived, 
from  that  time  forward  to 
Eternity  he  shall  never 
cease  to  be :  and  let  him 
die  young  or  old,  still  he 
hath  an  immortal  Soul,  and 
hath  laid  down  his  body 
only  for  a  time,  as  that 
which  was  the  instrument 
of  his  trouble  and  sorrow, 
and  the  scene  of  sicknesses 
and  disease.  But  he  is  in 
a  more    noble    manner   of 


being  after  death  than  he 
can  be- here  :  and  the  child 
may  with  more  reason  be 
allowed  to  cry  for  leaving 
his  mother's  womb  for  this 
world,  than  a  man  can  for 
changing  this  world  for 
another. 

Sudden  death  or  violent. 
Others  are  yet  troubled 
at  the  manner  of  their 
child's  or  friend's  death. 
He  was  drowned,  or  lost  his 
head,  or  died  of  the  plague; 
and  this  is  a  new  spring  of 
sorrow.  But  no  man  can 
give  a  sensible  account,  how 
it  shall  be  worse  for  a  child 
to  die  with  drowning  in 
half  an  hour,  than  to  en- 
dure a  fever  of  one  and 
twenty  days.  And  if  my 
friend  lost  his  head,  so  he 
did  not  lose  his  constancy 
and  his  Religion,  he  died 
with  huge  advantage. 

Being  Childless. 
But  by  this  means  I  am 
left  without  an  heir.  Well, 
suppose  that :  Thou  hast  no 
heir,  and  I  have  no  inherit- 
ance ;  and  there  are  many 
kings  and  emperors  that 
have  died  childless,  many 
royal  lines  are  extinguish- 
ed :  and  Augustus  Caesar 
was  forced  to  adopt  his 
wife's  son  to  inherit  all 
the  Roman  greatness.  And 


OF  CONTENTEDNESS. 


]33 


there  are  many  wise  per- 
sons that  never  married  : 
and  we  read  nowhere  that 
any  of  the  children  of  the 
Apostles  did  survive  their 
fathers :  and  all  that  in- 
herit any  thing  of  Christ's 
kingdom  come  to  it  by 
adoption,  not  by  natural 
inheritance :  and  to  die 
without  a  natural  heir  is 
no  intolerable  evil,  since  it 
was  sanctified  in  the  per- 
son of 
Virgin. 

Evil   or    unfortunate 
Children. 

And  by  this  means  we 
are  freed  from  the  greater 
sorrows  of  having  a  fool,  a 
swine,  or  a  goat,  to  rule 
after  us  in  our  families  :  and 
yet  even  this  condition  ad- 
mits of  comfort.  For  all 
the  wild  Americans  are  sup- 
posed to  be  the  sons  of  Do- 
donaim ;  and  the  sons  of 
Jacob  are  now  the  most 
scattered  and  despised  peo- 
ple in  the  whole  world.  The 
son  of  Solomon  was  but  a 
silly  weak  man  ;  and  the 
son  oiHezekiah  was  wicked : 
and  all  the  fools  and  barba- 
rous people,  all  the  thieves 
and  pirates,  all  the  slaves 
and  miserable  men  and  wo- 
men of  the  world,  are  the 
sons  and  daughters  oiNoah: 
and  we  must  not  look  to  be 


exempted  from  that  portion 
of  sorrow  which  God  gave 
to  Noah  and  Adam,  to 
Abraham,  to  Isaac,  and  to 
Jacob :  I  pray  God  send  us 
into  the  lot  of  Abraham. 
But  if  any  thing  happens 
worse  to  us,  it  is  enough  for 
us  that  we  bear  it  evenly. 

Our  own  Death. 

And  how,  if  you  were  to 
die  yourself  ?  you  know  you 
must.  Only  be  ready  for  it, 
by  the  preparations  of  a 
good  life ;  and  then  it  is  the 
greatest  good  that  ever  hap- 
pened to  thee  :  else  there  is 
nothing  that  can  comfort  you. 
But  if  you  have  served  God 
in  a  holy  life,  send  away 
the  women  and  the  weep- 
ers, tell  them  it  is  as  much 
intemperance  to  weep  too 
much  as  to  laugh  too  much : 
and  when  thou  art  alone,  or 
with  fitting  company,  die  as 
thou  shouldest,  but  do  not 
die  impatiently,  and  like  a 
fox  catched  in  a  trap.  For 
if  you  fear  death,  you  shall 
never  the  more  avoid  it, 
but  you  make  it  miserable. 
Fannius,  that  killed  himself 
for  fear  of  death,  died  as 
certainly  as  Porcia  that  ate 
burning  coals,  or  Cato  that 
cut  his  own  throat.  To  die 
is  necessary  and  natural, 
and  it  may  be  honourable ; 
but  to  die  poorly,  and  basely, 


134 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  GRACES. 


and  sinfully,  that  alone  is 
it  that  can  make  a  man  un- 
fortunate. No  man  can  be 
a  slave  but  he  that  fears 
pain,  or  fears  to  die.  To 
such  a  man  nothing  but 
chance  and  peaceable  times 


can  secure  his  duty,  and  he 
depends  upon  things  with- 
out for  his  felicity  ;  and  so 
is  well  but  during  the  plea- 
sure of  his  enemy,  or  a  thief 
or  a  tyrant,  or  it  may  be  of 
a  dose  or  a  wild  bull. 


PRAYERS     FOR     THE     SEVERAL     GRACES     AND     PARTS 
OF     CHRISTIAN     SOBRIETY. 


A   Prayer  against  Sen- 
suality. 

0  Eternal  Father,  Thou 
that  sittest  in  Heaven  in- 
vested with  essential  Glories 
and  Divine  perfections,  fill 
ray  Soul  with  so  deep  a 
sense  of  the  excellencies 
of  spiritual  and  heavenly 
things,  that,  my  affections 
being  weaned  from  the 
pleasures  of  the  world  and 
the  false  allurements  of  sin, 
I  may  with  great  severity 
and  the  prudence  of  a  holy 
discipline  and  strict  desires, 
with  clear  resolutions  and  a 
free  spirit,  have  my  conver- 
sation in  Heaven  and  hea- 
venly employments  ;  that, 
being  in  afiections  as  in  my 
condition  a  pilgrim  and  a 
stranger  here,  I  may  covet 
after  and  labour  for  an  abi- 
ding city,  and  at  last  may 
enter  into  and  for  ever  dwell 


in  the  Celestial  Jerusalem, 
which  is  the  mother  of  us 
all,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  Amen. 

For  Temperance. 
0  Almighty  God  and 
gracious  Father  of  men  and 
Angels,  who  openest  Thy 
hand  and  fillest  all  things 
with  plenty,  and  hast  pro- 
vided for  Thy  servant  suffi- 
cient to  satisfy  all  my 
needs  ;  teach  me  to  use  Thy 
creatures  soberly  and  tem- 
perately, that  I  may  not 
with  loads  of  meat  or  drink 
make  the  temptations  of  my 
enemy  to  prevail  upon  me, 
or  my  spirit  unapt  for  the 
performance  of  my  duty,  or 
my  body  healthless,  or  my 
affections  sensual  and  un- 
holy. 0  my  God,  never  suf- 
fer that  the  blessings  which 
Thou  givest  me  may  either 
minister  to  sin  or  sickness, 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  GRACES. 


13^ 


but  to  health  and  holiness 
and  thanksgiving  ;  that  in 
the  strength  of  Thy  provi- 
sions I  may  cheerfully  and 
actively  and  diligently  serve 
Thee  :  that  I  may  worthily 
feast  at  Thy  table  here, 
and  be  accounted  worthy 
through  Thy  grace  to  be 
admitted  to  Thy  table  here- 
after at  the  eternal  supper 
of  the  Lamb,  to  sing  an 
Allelujah  to  God  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and 
ever.  Amen. 

For  Chastity  :  to  be  said 
especially  by  ummirried 
-persons. 

Almighty  God,  our  most 
holy  and  eternal  Father, 
who  art  of  pure  eyes,  and 
canst  behold  no  unclean- 
ness  ;  let  Thy  gracious 
and  holy  Spirit  descend 
upon  Thy  servant,  and  re- 
prove the  spirit  of  Fornica- 
tion and  IJncleanness,  and 
cast  him  out ;  that  my  body 
may  be  a  holy  Temple,  and 
my  Soul  a  Sanctuary  to  en- 
tertain the  PRINCE  of  pu- 
rities, the  holy  and  eternal 
Spirit  of  God.  0  let  no  im- 
pure thoughts  pollute  that 
soul  which  God  hath  sanc- 
tified ;  no  unclean  words 
pollute  that  tongue  which 
God  hath  commanded  to  be 
an  organ  of  His  praises  ;  no 


unholy  and  unchaste  action 
rend  the  veil  of  that  Tem- 
ple where  the  holy  Jesus 
hath  been  pleased  to  enter, 
and  hath  chosen  for  His 
habitation :  but  seal  up  all 
my  senses  from  all  vain  ob- 
jects, and  let  them  be  en- 
tirely possessed  with  Reli- 
gion, and  fortified  with 
prudence,  watchfulness,  and 
mortification;  that  I,  pos- 
sessing my  vessel  in  holi- 
ness, may  lay  it  down  with 
a  holy  hope,  and  receive  it 
again  in  a  joyful  resurrec- 
tion, through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.  Amen. 

A  Prayer  for  the  love  of 
God ;  to  be  said  by  Vir- 
gins and  Widoivs,  profes- 
sed or  resolved  so  to  live  : 
and  may  be  used  by  any 
one. 

0  Holy  and  purest  Jesus, 
who  wert  pleased  to  espouse 
every  holy  Soul,  and  join  it 
to  Thee  with  a  holy  union 
and  mysterious  instruments 
of  religious  society  and  com- 
munications ;  0  fill  my  soul 
with  Religion  and  desires 
holy  as  the  thoughts  of  Che- 
rubim, passionate  beyond 
the  love  of  women  ;  that  I 
may  love  Thee  as  much  as 
ever  any  creature  loved 
Thee,  even  with  all  my 
Soul,  and  all  my  faculties, 
and  all  the  degrees  of  every 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  GRACES. 


136 

faculty :  let  me  know  no 
loves  but  those  of  duty  and 
charity,  obedience  and  de- 
votion ;  that  I  may  for  ever 
run  after  Thee  who  art  the 
King  of  Virgins,  and  with 
whom  whole  kingdoms  are 
in  love,  and  for  whose  sake 
Queens  have  died,  and  at 
whose  feet  Kings  with  joy 
have  laid  their  crowns  and 
sceptres.  My  Soul  is  Thine, 
0  dearest  Jesii ;  Thou  art 
my  Lord,  and  hast  bound 
up  my  eyes  and  heart  from 
all  stranger  affections ;  give 
me  for  my  dowry  purity  and 
humility,  modesty  and  de- 
votion, charity  and  patience, 
and  at  last  bring  me  into 
the  Bride-chamber  to  par- 
take of  the  felicities  and  to 
lie  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Bridegroom  to  eternal  ages, 
0  holy  and  sweetest  Sa- 
viour Jesus.  Amen. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  hy 
Married  persons  in  he- 
half  of  themselves  and 
each  other. 

0  Eternal  and  gracious 
Father,  who  hast  consecra- 
ted the  holy  estate  of  Mar- 
riage to  become  mysterious, 
and  to  represent  the  union 
of  Christ  and  His  Church  ; 
let  Thy  Holy  Spirit  so  guide 
me  in  the  doing  the  duties 
of  this  state,  that  it  may  not 
become  a  sin  unto  me ;  nor 


that  liberty  which  Thou 
hast  hallowed  by  the  holy 
Jesus,  become  an  occasion 
of  licentiousness  by  my  own 
weakness  and  sensuality : 
and  do  Thou  forgive  all 
those  irregularities  and  too 
sensual  applications  which 
may  have  in  any  degree  dis- 
composed my  spirit  and  the 
severity  of  a  Christian.  Let 
me  in  all  accidents  and  cir- 
cumstances be  severe  in  my 
duty  towards  Thee,  affec- 
tionate and  dear  to  my 
AVife  [or  Husband],  a  guide 
and  good  example  to  my 
family,  and  in  all  quiet- 
ness, sobriety,  prudence, 
and  peace,  a  follower  of 
those  holy  pairs  who  have 
served  Thee  with  godhness 
and  a  good  testimony.  And 
the  blessings  of  the  eternal 
God,  blessings  of  the  right 
hand  and  of  the  left,  be 
upon  the  Body  and  Soul  of 
Thy  servant  my  Wife  [or 
Husband],  and  abide  upon 
her  [or  him]  till  the  end  of 
a  holy  and  happy  life ;  and 
grant  that  both  of  us  may 
live  together  for  ever  in  the 
embraces  of  the  holy  and 
eternal  Jesus,  our  Lord  and 
Saviour.  Am^n. 

A  Prayer  for  the  grace  of 
Humility. 

O  holy  and  most  gracious 
Master  and  Saviour  Jesus, 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  GRACES. 


137 


who  by  Thy  example  and 
by  Thy  precept,  by  the 
practice  of  a  whole  life  and 
frequent  discourses,  didst 
command  us  to  be  meek 
and  humble  in  imitation  of 
Thy  incomparable  sweetness 
and  great  humility  ;  be 
pleased  to  give  me  the 
grace,  as  Thou  hast  given 
me  the  commandment :  en- 
able me  to  do  whatsoever 
Thou  commandest,  and  com- 
mand whatsoever  Thou 
pleasest.  0  mortify  in  me 
all  proud  thoughts  and  vain 
opinions  of  myself :  let  me 
return  to  Thee  the  acknow- 
ledgment and  the  fruits  of 
all  those  good  things  Thou 
hast  given  me  ;  that,  by 
confessing  I  am  wholly  in 
debt  to  Thee  for  them,  I 
may  not  boast  myself  for 
what  I  have  received,  and 
for  what  I  am  highly  ac- 
countable :  and  for  what  is 
my  own,  teach  me  to  be 
ashamed  and  humbled,  it 
being  nothing  but  sin  and 
misery,  weakness  and  un- 
cleanness.  Let  me  go  be- 
fore my  brethren  in  nothing 
but  in  striving  to  do  them 
honour  and  Thee  glory, 
never  to  seek  my  own 
praise,  never  to  delight  in 
it  when  it  is  offered  ;  that 
despising  myself  I  may  be 
accepted  by  Thee  in  the 
honours  with  which   Thou 


shalt  crown  Thy  humble 
and  despised  servants  for 
Jesus  His  sake  in  the  king- 
dom of  eternal  glory.  A  men. 

Acts  of  Humility  and  Mo- 
desty by  way  of  Prayer 
and  Meditation. 

I. 

Lord,  I  know  that  my 
spirit  is  light  and  thorny, 
my  body  is  brutish  and  ex- 
posed to  sickness  ;  I  am 
constant  to  folly,  and  in- 
constant in  holy  purposes. 
My  labours  are  vain  and 
fruitless ;  my  fortune  full 
of  change  and  trouble,  sel- 
dom pleasing,  never  per- 
fect :  my  wisdom  is  folly  ; 
being  ignorant  even  of  the 
parts  and  passions  of  my 
ov/n  body  :  and  what  am  I, 

0  Lord,  before  Thee,  but  a 
miserable  person,  hugely  in 
debt,  not  able  to  pay  ? 

IL 

Lord,  I  am  nothing,  and 

1  have  nothing  of  myself : 
I  am  less  than  the  least  of 
all  Thy  mercies. 

III. 
What  was  I  before  my 
birth  1  First,  nothing,  and 
then  uncleanness.  What 
during  my  childhood  ? 
weakness  and  folly.  What 
in  my  youth  1  folly  still 
and  passion,  lust  and  v/ild- 
ness.     What   in  my  whole 


138 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  GRACES. 


life  ?  a  great  sinner,  a  de- 
ceived and  an  abused  per- 
son. Lord,  pity  me,  for  it 
is  Thy  goodness  that  I  am 
kept  from  confusion  and 
amazement,  when  I  consi- 
der the  misery  and  shame 
of  my  person  and  the  de- 
filements of  my  nature. 

IV. 

Lord,  what  am  I  ?  and 
Lord,  what  art  Thou  ?  Wiat 
is  man  that  Thou  art  mind- 
ful of  him,  and  the  son  of 
onan  that  Thou  so  regardest 
him''  ? 

V. 

Hou)  can  man  he  justified 
with  God  ?  or  how  can  he 
he  clean  that  is  horn  of  a 
woman  2  Behold  even  to 
the  moon,  and  it  shineth 
not ;  yea,  the  stars  are  not 
pure  in  His  sight :  Hoio 
much  less  m^an  that  is  a 
worm,  aiid  the  son  of  man 
^vhich  is  a  worm"? 


A  Prayer  for  a  contented 
spirit,  and  the  grace  of 
Moderation  and  Patience. 
0  Almighty  God,  Father 
and  Lord  of  all  the  crea- 
tures, who  hast  disposed  all 
things  and  all  chances  so  as 

•>  Ph.  viii.  4  ;  cxliv.  3. 


may  best  glorify  Thy  Wis- 
dom, and  serve  the  ends  of 
Thy  Justice,  and  magnify 
Thy  Mercy,  by  secret  and 
undiscernible  ways  bringing 
good  out  of  evil ;  I  most 
humbly  beseech  Thee  to 
give  me  wisdom  from  above, 
that  I  may  adore  Thee,  and 
admire  Thy  ways  and  foot- 
steps, which  are  in  the  great 
deep  and  not  to  be  searched 
out :  teach  me  to  submit  to 
Thy  providence  in  all  things, 
to  be  content  in  all  changes 
of  person  and  condition,  to 
be  temperate  in  prosperity, 
and  to  read  my  duty  in  the 
lines  of  Thy  mercy,  and  in 
adversity  to  be  meek,  pa- 
tient and  resigned,  and  to 
look  through  the  cloud,  that 
I  may  wait  for  the  consola- 
tion of  the  Lord,  and  the 
day  of  Redemption  ;  in  the 
meantime  doing  my  duty 
with  an  unwearied  dili- 
gence, and  an  undisturbed 
resolution,  having  no  fond- 
ness for  the  vanities  or  pos- 
sessions of  this  World,  but 
laying  up  my  hopes  in  Hea- 
ven and  the  rewards  of  holy 
living,  and  being  strength- 
ened with  the  Spirit  of  the 
inner  man,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.    Amen, 

■=  Job  XXV.  4,  &c. 


OF  CHRISTIAN  JUSTICE. 


139 


CHAP.  III. 


OF  CHRISTIAN  JUSTICE. 


Justice  is  by  the  Chris- 
tian Religion  enjoined  in 
all  its  parts  by  these  two 
propositions  in  Scripture : 
Whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  to  you,  even 
so  do  to  them.  This  is  the 
measure  of  commutative  jus- 
tice, or  of  that  justice  which 
supposes  exchange  of  things 
profitable  for  things  profit- 
able :  that,  as  I  supply  your 
need,  you  may  supply  mine  ; 
as  I  do  a  benefit  to  you,  I 
may  receive  one  by  you : 
and  because  every  man  may 
be  injured  by  another,  there- 
fore his  security  shall  de- 
pend upon  mine  :  if  he  will 
not  let  me  be  safe,  he  shall 
not  be  safe  himself  (only 
the  manner  of  his  being 
punished  is  upon  great  rea- 
son both  by  God  and  all  the 
world  taken  from  particu- 
lars, and  committed  to  a 
public  disinterested  person, 
who  will  do  justice  without 
passion  both  to  him  and  to 
me) ;  if  he  refuses  to  do  me 
advantage,  he  shall  receive 
none  when  his  needs  require 
it.  And  thus  God  gave  ne- 
cessities to  men,  that  all 
men  might  need  ;  and  seve- 

<*  Rom.  : 


j  ral  abilities  to  several  per- 
!  sons,  that  each  man  might 
help  to  supply  the  public 
I  needs  ;  and,  by  joining  to 
j  fill  up  all  wants,  they  may 
I  be  knit  together  by  justice, 
as  the  parts  of  the  world 
are  by  nature  :  and  lie  hath 
made  all  obnoxious  to  inju- 
ries, and  made  every  little 
thing  strong  enough  to  do 
us  hurt  by  some  instrument 
or  other ;  and  hath  given  us 
all  a  sufficient  stock  of  self- 
love,  and  desire  of  self-pre- 
servation, to  be  as  the  chain 
to  tie  together  all  the  parts 
of  society,  and  to  restrain  us 
from  doing  violence,  lest  we 
be  violently  dealt  withal 
ourselves. 

The  other  part  of  justice 
is  commonly  called  distri- 
butive, and  is  commanded 
in  this  Rule,  Render  to  all 
their  dues  ;  tribute,  to  ivhom 
tribute  is  due;  custom,  to 
whom  custom  ;  fear,  to  u'hom. 
fear ;  honour,  to  lohom  ho- 
nour. Owe  no  man  any 
thing,  but  to  love  one  ano- 
ther'^. This  justice  is  dis- 
tinguished from  the  first, 
because  the  obligation  de- 
pends not  upon  contract  or 


140 


OP  OBEDIENCE. 


express  bargain,  but  passes 
upon  us  by  virtue  of  some 
command  of  God,  or  of  our 
superior,  by  nature  or  by 
grace,  by  piety  or  religion, 
by  trust  or  by  office,  accord- 
ing to  that  commandment : 
As  every  man  hath  received 
the  gift,  so  let  him  minister 
the  sajne  one  to  another,  as 
good  steivards  of  the  mani- 
fold grace  of  God^.  And, 
as  the  first  considers  an 
equality  of  persons  in  re- 


spect of  the  contract  or 
particular  necessity ;  this 
supposes  a  difference  of  per- 
sons, and  no  particular  bar- 
gains, but  such  necessary 
intercourses  as  by  the  laws 
of  Grod  or  man  are  intro- 
duced. But  I  shall  reduce 
all  the  particulars  of  both 
kinds  to  these  four  heads. 
1.  Obedience,  2.  Provision, 
3.  Negotiation,  4.  Restitu- 
tion. 


Sect.  I. 

Of  Obedience  to  our  Superiors. 


Our  Superiors  are  set  over 
us  in  aiFairs  of  the  world,  or 
the  affairs  of  the  Soul  and 
things  pertaining  to  Reli- 
gion ;  and  are  called  accord- 
ingly, Ecclesiasticcd,  or  Civil. 
Towards  whom  our  duty  is 
thus  generally  described  in 
the  New  Testament.  For 
Tem])oral  or  Civil  governors 
the  commands  are  these  : 
Render  to  Cmsar  the  things 
that  are  Ccesar''s^;  and,  Let 
every  soid  he  sid)ject  to  the 
higher  powers  :  For  there  is 
no  poiver  hut  of  God:  The 
powers  that  he  are  ordained 
of  God :  Whosoever  therefore 
resisteth  the  power,  resisteth 
the  ordinance  of  God ;  and 
they  that  resist  shall  receive 

e  1  Pet.  iv.  10.  f  Luke 

^  Titus  iii.  1. 


to  themselves  diamnationi : 
and,  Put  them  in  mind  to 
he  subject  to  principalities 
and  powers,  and  to  obey 
Magistrates^  :  and,  Suhynit 
yourselves  to  every  ordi- 
nance of  man,  for  the  Lord's 
sake ;  tohether  it  he  to  the 
King,  as  supreme ;  or  unto 
Governors,  as  unto  them  that 
are  sent  by  Him  for  the 
punishment  of  evil  doers 
and  the  praise  of  them  that 
do  weir^. 

For  Spiritual  or  Ecclesi- 
astical Governors  thus  we 
are  commanded  :  Obey  them 
that  have  the  ride  over  you^ 
and  submit  yourselves  ;  for 
they  watch  for  your  souls, 
as  they  that  must  give  an 

K,  25.  g  Rom.  xiii.  1,  2. 

1  Pet.  ii.  13,  14. 


OF  OBEDIENCE, 


141 


account^ :  and,  Hold  such 
■in  reputation^ :  and,  To 
this  end  did  I  ^vrite,  that  I 
might  know  the  proof  of 
you,  whether  ye  he  obedient 
in  all  things"^,  s^id  8.  Paid 
to  the  Church  of  Coi'inth. 
*Our  duty  is  reducible  to 
practice  by  the  following 
Rules. 

Acts  and  duties  of  Obedience 
to  all  our  Superiors. 

1.  We  must  obey  all  hu- 
man laws  appointed  and 
constituted  by  lawful  au- 
thority, that  is,  of  the  su- 
preme power,  according  to 
the  constitution  of  the  place 
in  which  we  live  ;  all  laws, 
I  mean, which  are  not  against 
the  law  of  God. 

2.  In  obedience  to  human 
laws,  we  must  observe  the 
letter  of  the  law  where  we 
can  without  doing  violence 
to  the  reason  of  the  law  and 
the  intention  of  the  law- 
giver :  but,  where  they  cross 
each  other,  the  charity  of 
the  law  is  to  be  preferred 
before  its  discipline,  and 
the  reason  of  it  before  the 
letter. 

3.  If  the  general  reason 
of  the  law  ceases  in  our 
particular,  and  a  contrary 
reason  rises  upon  us,  we  are 
to  procure  dispensation,  or 

k  Heb.  xiii.  17. 


leave  to  omit  the  observa- 
tion of  it  in  such  circum- 
stances, if  there  be  any  per- 
sons or  office  appointed  for 
granting  it :  but  if  there  be 
none,  or  if  it  is  not  easily 
to  be  had,  or  not  without 
an  inconvenience  greater 
than  the  good  of  the  obser- 
vation of  the  law  in  our 
particular,  we  are  dispensed 
wdthal  in  the  nature  of  the 
thing,  without  further  pro- 
cess or  trouble. 

4.  As  long  as  the  law  is 
obligatory,  so  long  our  obe- 
dience is  due ;  and  he  that 
begins  a  contrary  custom 
without  reason,  sins :  but 
he  that  breaks  the  law  when 
the  custom  is  entered  and 
fixed,  is  excused  ;  because 
it  is  supposed  the  legisla- 
tive power  consents,  when 
by  not  punishing  it  suffers 
disobedience  to  grow  up  to 
a  custom. 

5.  Obedience  to  human 
laws  must  be  for  conscieiice 
sake :  that  is,  because  in 
such  obedience  public  order 
and  charity  and  benefit  is 
concerned,  and  because  the 
law  of  God  commands  us, 
therefore  Ave  must  make  a 
conscience  in  keeping  the 
just  laws  of  superiors  :  and 
although  the  matter  before 
the  making  of  the  law  was 


1  Phil.  ii.  29. 


">  2  Cor.  ii.  9. 


142 


OF  OBEDIENCE, 


indifferent,  yet  now  the  obe- 
dience is  not  indifferent  n  ; 
but,  next  to  the  laws  of 
God,  we  are  to  obey  the 
laws  of  all  our  superiors  ; 
who,  the  more  public  they 
are,  the  first  they  are  to  be 
in  the  order  of  obedience. 

6.  Submit  to  the  punish- 
ment and  censure  of  the 
laws,  and  seek  not  to  re- 
verse their  judgment  by  op- 
posing, but  by  submitting, 
or  flying,  or  silence,  to  pass 
through  it  or  by  it  as  we 
can  :  and  although  from  in- 
ferior judges  we  may  appeal 
v/here  the  law  permits  us, 
yet  Ave  must  sit  down  and 
rest  in  the  judgment  of  the 
supreme ;  and  if  we  be 
wronged,  let  us  complain 
to  God  of  the  injury,  not  of 
the  persons ;  and  He  will 
deliver  thy  Soul  from  un- 
righteous judges. 

"7.  Do  not  believe  thou 
hast  kept  the  law,  when 
thou  hast  suffered  the  pun- 
ishment. For  although  pa- 
tiently to  submit  to  the 
power  of  the  sword  be  a 
part  of  obedience,  yet  this 
is  such  a  part  as  supposes 
another  left  vmdone :  and 
the  law  punishes,  not  be- 
cause she  is  as  well  pleased 
in  taking  vengeance  as  in 
being  obeyed  ;  but,  because 
she  is  displeased,  she  uses 


punishment  as  a  means  to 
secure  obedience  for  the 
future,  or  in  others.  There- 
fore although  in  such  cases 
the  law  is  satisfied,  and  the 
injury  and  the  injustice  is 
paid  for,  yet  the  sins  of  ir- 
religion,  and  scandal,  and 
disobedience  to  God,  must 
still  be  so  accounted  for,  as 
to  crave  pardon,  and  be 
washed  off  by  repentance. 

8.  Human  laws  are  not 
to  be  broken  with  scandal, 
nor  at  all  without  reason  ; 
for  he  that  does  it  carelessly 
is  a  despiser  of  the  law,  and 
undervalues  the  authority. 
For  human  laws  differ  from 
Divine  laws  principally  in 
this :  1.  That  the  positive 
commands  of  a  7nan  may 
be  broken  upon  smaller  and 
more  reasons  than  the  posi- 
tive commands  of  God ;  we 
may  upon  a  smaller  reason 
omit  to  keep  any  of  the 
fasting  days  of  the  Church, 
than  omit  to  give  alms 
to  the  poor  :  only  this,  the 
reason  must  bear  weight  ac- 
cording to  the  gravity  and 
concernment  of  the  law  ;  a 
law  in  a  small  matter  may 
be  omitted  for  a  small  rea- 
son, in  a  great  matter  not 
without  a  greater  reason. 
And  2.  The  negative  pre- 
cepts of  men  may  cease  by 
many  instruments,  by  con- 


Arist.  Eth.,  v.  cap.  7. 


OF  OBEDIENCE. 


143 


trary  customs,  by  public 
disrelish,  by  long  omission  : 
but  the  negative  2^recepts  of 
God  never  can  cease,  but 
when  they  are  expressly 
abrogated  by  the  same  au- 
thority. But  what  those 
reasons  are,  that  can  dis- 
pense with  the  command  of 
a  man,  a  man  may  be  his 
own  judge,  and  sometimes 
take  his  proportions  from 
his  own  reason  and  neces- 
sity, sometimes  from  public 
fame,  and  the  practice  of 
pious  and  severe  persons, 
and  from  popular  customs  ; 
in  which  a  man  shall  walk 
most  safely,  when  he  does 
not  walk  alone,  but  a  spiri- 
tual man  takes  him  by  the 
hand. 

9.  We  must  not  be  too 
forward  in  procuring  dis- 
pensations ;  nor  use  them 
any  longer  than  the  reason 
continues  for  which  we  first 
procured  them  :  for  to  be 
dispensed  wdthal  is  an  ar- 
gument of  natural  infir- 
mity, if  it  be  necessary ; 
but  if  it  be  not,  it  signifies 
an  undisciplined  and  un- 
mortified  spirit. 

10.  We  must  not  be  too 
busy  in  examining  the  pru- 
dence and  unreasonableness 
of  human  laws :  for  al- 
though we  are  not  bound 
to   believe   them  all  to  be 


the  wisest  ;  yet  if,  by  en- 
quiring into  the  lawfulness 
of  them,  or  by  any  other 
instrument,  we  find  them 
to  fail  of  that  wisdom  with 
which  some  others  are  or- 
dained, yet  we  must  never 
make  use  of  it  to  disparage 
the  person  of  the  law-giver, 
or  to  countenance  any  man's 
disobedience,  much  less  our 
own. 

11.  Pay  that  reverence 
to  the  person  of  thy  Prince, 
of  his  Ministers,  of  thy  Pa- 
rents and  spiritual  Guides, 
which  by  the  customs  of 
the  place  thou  livest  in  are 
usually  paid  to  such  per- 
sons in  their  several  de- 
grees :  that  is,  that  the 
highest  reverence  be  paid 
to  the  highest  person,  and 
so  still  in  proportion ;  and 
that  this  reverence  be  ex- 
pressed in  all  the  circum- 
stances and  manners  of  the 
city  and  nation. 

12.  Lift  not  up  thy  hand 
against  thy  Prince  or  Pa- 
rent upon  what  pretence 
soever :  but  bear  all  per- 
sonal afironts  and  inconve- 
niences at  their  hands,  and 
seek  no  remedy  but  by  pa- 
tience and  piety,  yielding 
and  praying,  or  absenting 
thyself. 

13.  Speah  not  evil  of  the 
Ruler  of  thy  people^ ^   nei- 


Acts  xxiii.  5. 


144 


OF  OBEDIENCE. 


ther  Curse  thy  father  or 
mother^,  nor  revile  thy  spi- 
ritual Guides,  nor  discover 
and  lay  naked  their  infir- 
mities :  but  treat  them  with 
reverence  and  religion,  and 
preserve  their  authority  sa- 
cred by  esteeming  their 
persons  venerable. 

14.  Pay  tribute  and  cus- 
toms to  Princes  according  to 
the  laws,  and  maintenance 
to  thy  Parents  according 
to  their  necessity,  and  ho- 
nourable support  to  the 
Clergy  according  to  the 
dignity  of  the  work,  and 
the  customs  of  the  place. 

15.  Remember  always 
that  duty  to  our  superiors 
is  not  an  act  of  commuta- 
tive justice,  but  of  distri- 
butive :  that  is,  although 
Kings  and  Parents  and  spi- 
ritual Guides  are  to  pay  a 
great  duty  to  their  infe- 
riors, the  duty  of  their 
several  charges  and  govern- 
ment ;  yet  the  good  govern- 
ment of  a  King  and  of  Pa- 
rents are  actions  oi  Religion 
as  they  relate  to  God,  and 
of  Pieti/  as  they  relate  to 
to  their  people  and  fami- 
lies. And  although  we 
usually  call  them  just 
Princes  who  administer 
their  laws  exactly  to  the 
people,  because  the  actions 
are  in  the  manner  of  Jus- 


tice;  yet  in  propriety  of 
speech  they  are  rather  to 
be  called  Pious  and  Reli- 
gious.  For  as  he  is  not 
called  a  just  Father  that 
educates  his  children  well, 
but  pious ;  so  that  Prince 
who  defends  and  well  rules 
his  people,  is  Religious,  and 
does  that  duty  for  which 
alone  he  is  answerable  to 
God.  The  consequence  of 
which  is  this,  so  far  as  con- 
cerns our  duty :  If  the 
Prince  or  Parent  fail  of 
their  duty,  we  must  not 
fail  of  ours ;  for  we  are 
answerable  to  them  and  to 
God  too,  as  being  account- 
able to  all  our  superiors, 
and  so  are  they  to  theirs : 
they  are  above  us,  and  God 
is  above  them. 

Remedies  against  Disobe- 
dience, and  means  to 
endear  our  Obedience  by 
way  of  consideration. 

1.  Consider,  that  all  au- 
thority descends  from  God, 
and  our  superiors  bear  the 
image  of  the  Divine  Power, 
which  God  imprints  on 
them  as  on  an  image  of 
clay,  or  a  coin  upon  a  less 
perfect  metal,  which  whoso 
defaces,  shall  not  be  an- 
swerable for  the  loss  or 
spoil  of  the  materials,  but 
the    defacing    the    king's 


Matt.  XV.  4. 


OP  OBEDIENCE. 


145 


image :  and  in  the  same 
measure  will  God  require  it 
at  our  hands,  if  we  despise 
His  authority  upon  whom- 
soever He  hath  imprinted 
it.  He  that  despiseth  you, 
despiseth  Me  ^.  And  Dathan 
and  Ahiram  were  said  to 
be  gathered  together  against 
the  Lord^.  And  this  was 
S.  PauVs  argument  for  our 
obedience  :  The  powers 
that  be,  are  ordained  of 
God\ 

2.  There  is  very  great 
peace  and  immunity  from 
sin  in  resigning  our  wills 
up  to  the  command  of 
others :  for,  provided  that 
our  duty  to  God  be  secured, 
their  commands  are  war- 
rants to  us  in  all  things 
else  ;  and  the  case  of  con- 
science is  determined,  if 
the  command  be  evident 
and  pressing  :  and  it  is 
certain,  the  action  that  is 
but  indifferent,  and  with- 
out reward,  if  done  only 
upon  our  own  choice,  is  an 
act  of  duty  and  of  Reli- 
gion, and  rewardable  by 
the  gi-ace  and  favour  of 
God,  if  done  in  obedience 
to  the  command  of  our  su- 
periors. For  since  natu- 
rally we  desire  what  is  for- 
bidden us,  (and  sometimes 
there  is  no  other  evil  in  the 


thing  but  that  it  is  forbid- 
den us),  God  hath  in  gi-ace 
enjoined  and  proportion- 
ably  accepts  obedience,  as 
being  directly  opposed  to 
the  former  irregularity ; 
and  it  is  acceptable,  al- 
though there  be  no  other 
good  in  the  thing  that  is 
commanded  us,  but  that  it 
is  commanded. 

3.  By  obedience  we  are 
made  a  society  and  a  re- 
public, and  distinguished 
from  herds  of  beasts,  and 
heaps  of  flies,  who  do  what 
they  list,  and  are  incapable 
of  laws,  and  obey  none ; 
and  therefore  are  killed 
and  destroyed,  though  never 
punished,  and  they  never 
can  have  a  reward. 

4.  By  obedience  we  are 
rendered  capable  of  all  the 
blessings  of  government, 
signified  by  S.  Paul  in 
these  words ;  He  is  the 
minister  of  God  to  thee  for 
good^ ;  and  by  S.  Peter  in 
these ;  Governors  are  sent 
hy  Him  for  the  punishment 
of  evil-doers,  and  for  the 
praise  of  them  that  do 
well\  And  he  that  ever 
felt,  or  saw,  or  can  under- 
stand the  miseries  of  con- 
fusion in  public  affairs,  or 
amazement  in  a  heap  of 
sad,  tumultuous,  and  inde- 


1  Liike  X.  16.  "■  Numb.  xvi.  11.  "  Rom.  xiii.  1, 

*  Rom.  xiii.  4.  "1  Pet.  ii.  14. 


146 


OP  OBEDIENCE. 


finite  thoughts,  may  from 
thence  judge  of  the  ad- 
mirable effects  of  order,  and 
the  beauty  of  government. 
What  health  is  to  the  body, 
and  peace  is  to  the  spirit, 
that  is  government  to  the 
societies  of  men  ;  the  great- 
est blessing  which  they  can 
receive  in  that  temporal 
capacity. 

5.  No  man  shall  ever  be 
fit  to  govern  others,  that 
knows  not  first  how  to 
obey.  For  if  the  spirit  of 
a  subject  be  rebellious,  in  a 
prince  it  will  be  tyrannical 
and  intolerable  ;  and  of  so 
ill  example,  that,  as  it  will 
encourage  the  disobedience 
of  others,  so  it  will  render 
it  unreasonable  for  him  to 
exact  of  others  what  in  the 
like  case  he  refused  to  pay. 

6.  There  is  no  sin  in  the 
world  which  God  hath  pun- 
ished with  so  great  severity 
and  high  detestation  as  this 
of  Disobedience.  For  the 
crime  of  Idolatry  God  sent 
the  sword  amongst  His  peo- 
ple ;  but  it  was  never  heard 
that  the  Earth  opened  and 
swallowed  up  any  but  re- 
bels against  their  Prince. 

7.  Obedience  is  better 
than  the  particular  actions 
of  Religion  ;  and  he  serves 
God  better  that  follows  his 
Prince   in   lawful  services, 

»  1  Sam 


than  he  that  refuses  his 
command  upon  pretence  he 
must  go  say  his  prayers. 
But  Rebellion  is  compared 
to  that  sin  which  of  all  sin 
seems  the  most  unnatural 
and  damned  impiety.  Rebel- 
lion is  as  the  sin  of  Witch- 
craft ^. 

8.  Obedience  is  a  com- 
plicated act  of  virtue,  and 
many  graces  are  exercised 
in  one  act  of  obedience.  It 
is  an  act  of  humility,  of 
mortification  and  self-de- 
nial, of  charity  to  God,  of 
care  of  the  public,  of  order 
and  charity  to  ourselves 
and  all  our  society,  and  a 
great  instance  of  a  victory 
over  the  most  refractory 
and  unruly  passions. 

9.  To  be  a  subject  is  a 
greater  temporal  felicity 
than  to  be  a  King :  for  all 
eminent  governments  ac- 
cording to  their  height 
have  a  great  burden,  huge 
care,  infinite  business,  little 
rest,  innumerable  fears ;  and 
all  that  he  enjoys  above 
another,  is,  that  he  does 
enjoy  the  things  of  the 
world  with  other  circum- 
stances, and  a  bigger  noise ; 
and  if  others  go  at  his  sin- 
gle command,  it  is  also  cer- 
tain he  must  suffer  incoij- 
venience  at  the  needs  and 
disturbances  of  all  his  peo- 

.  XV.  23. 


OP  OBEDIENCE. 


147 


pie  :  and  the  evils  of  one 
man  and  of  one  family  are 
not  enough  for  him  to  bear, 
unless  also  he  be  almost 
crushed  with  the  evils  of 
mankind.  He  therefore  is 
an  ungrateful  person  that 
will  press  the  scales  down 
with  a  voluntary  load,  and 
by  disobedience  put  more 
thorns  into  the  crown  or 
mitre  of  his  superior.  Much 
better  is  the  advice  of  Saint 
Paul,  Obey  them  that  have 
the  rule  over  you^  as  they 
that  must  give  an  account 
for  your  souls,  that  they 
may  do  it  with  joy  and  not 
with  grief:  for  (besides 
that  it  is  unpleasant  to 
them)  it  is  miprofitable  for 
your. 

10.  The  Angels  are  mi-  j 
nistering  spkits^,  and  per- 
petually   execute   the   will  , 
and  commandment  of  God  :  \ 
and  all  the  wise  men  and  , 
aU    the   good   men   of  the  i 
world  are  obedient  to  their  : 
governors  ;  and  the  eternal  | 
Son  of  God  esteemed  it  His  | 
Meat  and  drink  to  do  the  \ 
will   of  His  Father^,   and  ' 
for   His    obedience''    alone 
obtained  the  greatest  glory : 
and  no  man  ever  came  to 
perfection     but     by     Obe- 
dience :    and  thousands  of 
Saints    have    chosen    such 


institutions  and  manners  of 
living,  in  which  they  might 
not  choose  their  own  work, 
nor  follow  their  own  will, 
nor  please  themselves,  but 
be  accountable  to  others, 
and  subject  to  discipline, 
and  obedient  to  command, 
as  knowing  this  to  be  the 
high-way  of  the  Cross,  the 
way  that  the  King  of  Suf- 
ferings  and  humility  did 
choose,  and  so  became  the 
King  of  glory. 

11.  No  man  ever  perished 
who  followed  first  the  will 
of  God,  and  then  the  will 
of  His  superiors  :  but  thou- 
sands have  been  damned 
merely  for  following  their 
own  will,  and  relying  upon 
their  own  judgments,  and 
choosing  their  own  work, 
and  doing  their  own  fan- 
cies. For  if  we  begin  with 
ourselves,  whatsoever  seems 
good  in  our  eyes  is  most 
commonly  displeasing  in 
the  eyes  of  God. 

12.  The  sin  of  rebellion, 
though  it  be  a  spiritual  sin, 
and  imitable  by  Devils,  yet 
it  is  of  that  disorder,  un- 
reasonableness, and  impos- 
sibility amongst  intelligent 
spirits,  that  they  never 
murmured  or  mutinied  in 
their  lower  stations  against 
their   superiors.     Nay,  the 


y  Heb.  xiii.  17. 


'  Heb.  i.  14. 
>>  Phil.  ii.  8,9. 

h2 


«  John  iv.  34. 


148 


OF  OBEDIENCE. 


good  Angels  of  an  inferior 
order  durst  not  revile  a 
Devil  of  a  higher  order. 
This  consideration  which  I 
reckon  to  be  most  pressing 
in  the  discourses  of  reason, 
and  obliging  next  to  the 
necessity  of  a  Divine  pre- 
cept, we  learn  from  Saint 
Jude ;  Likewise  also  these 
fithy  dreamers  despise  do- 
minion, and  speak  evil  of 
dignities.  And  yet  Michael 
the  Archangel,  lohen  con- 
tending with  the  Devil  he 
disputed  about  the  body  of 
Moses,  durst  not  bring 
against  him  a  railing  ac- 
cusation'^. 

But  because  our  superiors 
rule  by  their  example,  by 
their  word  or  law,  and  by 
the  rod,  therefore  in  pro- 
portion there  are  several 
degrees  and  parts  of  obedi- 
ence, of  several  excellencies 
and  degrees  towards  per- 
fection. 

Degrees  of  Obedience. 
1.  The  first  is  the  obedi- 
ence of  the  outward  Work  : 
and  this  is  all  that  human 
laws  of  themselves  regard  ; 
for,  because  Man  cannot 
judge  the  heart,  therefore 
it  prescribes  nothing  to  it : 
the  public  end  is  served  not 
by  good  wishes,  but  by  real 
and   actual    performances ; 

c  Jude  8,  9. 


and  if  a  man  obeys  against 
his  will,  he  is  not  punish- 
able by  the  laws. 

2.  The  obedience  of  the 
Will :  and  this  is  also  ne- 
cessary in  our  obedience  to 
Human  laws,  not  because 
Man  requires  it  for  himself, 
but  because  God  commands 
it  towards  Man  ;  and  of  it 
Calthough  Man  cannot,  yet) 
God  will  demand  an  ac- 
count. For  we  are  to  do  it 
as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to 
men^ ;  and  therefore  we 
must  do  it  willingly.  But 
by  this  means  our  obedi- 
ence in  private  is  secured 
against  secret  arts  and  sub- 
terfuges :  and  when  we  can 
avoid  the  punishment,  yet 
we  shall  not  decline  our 
duty,  but  serve  Man  for 
God's  sake,  that  is,  cheer- 
fully, promptly,  vigorously  ; 
for  these  are  the  proper 
parts  of  wilKngness  and 
choice. 

3.  The  Understanding 
must  yield  obedience  in 
general,  though  not  in  the 
particular  instance ;  that 
is,  we  must  be  firmly  per- 
suaded of  the  excellency  of 
the  obedience,  though  we 
be  not  bound  in  all  cases  to 
think  the  particular  law  to 
be  most  prudent.  But  in 
this  our  rule  is  plain  enough. 
Our  understanding  ought  to 

^  Eph.  vi.  7. 


THE  DUTY  OP  SUPERIORS. 


149 


be  inquisitive  whether  the 
civil  constitution  agree  with 
our  duty  to  God  ;  but  we 
are  bound  to  enquire  no 
further  :  And  therefore  be- 
yond this,  although  he  who, 
having  no  obligation  to  it, 
(as  counsellors  have),  en- 
quires not  at  all  into  the 
wisdom  or  reasonableness  of 
the  law,  be  not  always  the 


wisest  man,  yet  he  is  ever 
the  best  subject.  For  when 
he  hath  given  up  his  under- 
standing to  his  Prince  and 
Prelate,  provided  that  his 
duty  to  God  be  secured  by 
a  precedent  search,  he  hath 
also,  with  the  best  and  with 
all  the  instruments  in  the 
world,  secured  his  obedience 
to  INIan. 


Sect.  II. 


OF  PROVISION,  OR  THAT  PART  OF  JUSTICE  WHICH  IS  DUE 
FROM  SUPERIORS  TO  INFERIORS. 


As  God  hath  imprinted 
His  authority  in  several 
parts  upon  several  estates 
of  Men,  as  Princes,  Parents, 
Spiritual  Guides :  so  He 
hath  also  delegated  and 
committed  parts  of  His  care 
and  providence  unto  them, 
that  they  may  be  instru- 
mental in  the  conveying 
such  blessings  which  God 
knows  we  need,  and  which 
He  intends  should  be  the 
effects  of  government.  For, 
since  God  governs  all  the 
world  as  a  King,  provides 
for  us  as  a  Father,  and  is 
the  great  Guide  and  Con- 
ductor of  our  spirits  as  the 
Head  of  the  Church,  and 
the  great  Shepherd  and 
Bishop  of  our  Souls  ;  they 
who  have  portions  of  these 


dignities,  have  also  their 
share  of  the  administration : 
the  sum  of  all  which  is 
usually  signified  in  these 
two  words  Governing  and 
Feeding ;  and  is  particu- 
larly recited  in  these  fol- 
lowing rules. 

Duties  of  Kings,  and  all 
the  Supreme  poiver,  as 
Law-givers. 

1.  Princes  of  the  people 
and  all  that  have  legislative 
power  must  provide  useful 
and  good  laws  for  the  de- 
fence of  property,  for  the 
encouragement  of  labour, 
for  the  safeguard  of  their 
persons,  for  determining 
controversies,  for  reward  of 
noble  actions  and  excellent 
arts  and  rare  inventions,  for 


150 


THE  DUTY   OF  SUPERIORS. 


promoting   trade,   and    en- 
riching their  people, 

2.  In   the   making   laws 
Princes  must  have  regard 
to  the  piiblic  dispositions, 
to   the   affections  and  dis- 
affections  of  the  people,  and 
must  not  introduce  a  law 
with    public    scandal    and 
displeasure ;    but    consider 
the  public  benefit,  and  the 
present  capacity  of  affairs, 
and  general  inclinations  of 
men's  minds.     For  he  that  j 
enforces    a    law    upon     a  ; 
people   against   their    first  ; 
and   public   apprehensions,  j 
tempts   them   to    disobedi-  : 
ence,   and   makes    laws   to  i 
become  snares  and  hooks  to  [ 
catch   the   people,   and    to  [ 
enrich  the  treasury  with  the  | 
spoil  and  tears  and  curses 
of  the  commonalty,  and  to 
multiply  their  mutiny  and 
their  sin, 

3.  Princes  must  provide 
that  the  laws  be  duly  exe- 
cuted :  for  a  good  law  with- 
out execution  is  like  an  un- 
performed promise :  and 
therefore  they  must  be  se- 
vere exactors  of  accounts 
from  their  delegates  and 
ministers  of  Justice.  ' 

4.  The  severity   of  laws 
must  be  tempered  with  dis-  : 
pensations,  pardons,  and  re-  i 
missions,  according  as  the  j 
case   shall   alter,  and  new  I 

*  1  Sam,  xiv 


necessities  be  introduced,  or 
some  singular  accident  shall 
happen,  in  which  the  law 
would  be  unreasonable  or 
intolerable  as  to  that  parti- 
cular. And  thus  the  peo- 
ple with  their  importunity 
prevailed  against  Said  in 
the  case  of  Jonathan,  and 
obtained  his  pardon  for 
breaking  the  law  which  his 
father  made,  because  his 
necessity  forced  him  to 
taste  honey,  and  his  break- 
ing the  law  in  that  case  did 
promote  that  service  whose 
promotion  was  intended  by 
the  lawe, 

5,  Princes  must  be  Fathers 
of  the  people,  and  provide 
such  instances  of  gentle- 
ness, ease,  wealth  and  ad- 
vantages, as  may  make  mu- 
tual confidence  between 
them  ;  and  must  fix  their 
security  under  God  in  the 
love  of  the  people,  which 
therefore  they  must  with 
all  arts  of  sweetness,  remis- 
sion, popularity,  nobleness 
and  sincerity,  endeavour  to 
secure  to  themselves. 

6.  Princes  must  not  mul- 
tiply public  Oaths  Avithout 
great,  eminent,  and  violent 
necessity,  lest  the  security 
of  the  King  become  a  snare 
to  the  people,  and  they  be- 
come false  when  they  see 
themselves     suspected,    or 

24,27.45. 


THE  DUTY  OF  SUPERIORS. 


151 


impatient  when  they  are 
violently  held  fast :  but  the 
greater  and  more  useful 
caution  is  upon  things  than 
upon  persons  ;  and  if  secu- 
rity of  Kings  can  be  ob- 
tained otherwise,  it  is  better 
that  Oaths  should  be  the 
last  refuge,  and  when  no- 
thing else  can  be  sufficient, 

7.  Let  not  the  people  be 
tempted  with  arguments  to 
disobey,  by  the  imposition 
of  great  and  unnecessary 
taxes  :  for  that  lost  to  the 
son  of  Solornon  the  domi- 
nion of  the  ten  Tribes  of 
IsraeV. 

8.  Princes  must  in  a 
special  manner  be  Guar- 
dians of  Pupils  and  Widows, 
not  suffering  their  persons 
to  be  oppressed,  or  their 
states  imbecilled,  or  in  any 
sense  be  exposed  to  the 
rapine  of  covetous  persons, 
but  be  provided  for  by  just 
Laws,  and  provident  Judges, 
and  good  Guardians,  ever 
having  an  ear  ready  open 
to  their  just  complaints,  and 
a  heart  full  of  pity,  and  one 
hand  to  support  them,  and 
the  other  to  avenge  them. 

9.  Princes  must  provide 
that  the  laws  may  be  so 
administered,  that  they  be 
truly  and  really  an  ease  to 
the  people,  not  an  instru- 
ment   of    vexation ;    and 


therefore  must  be  careful 
that  the  shortest  and  most 
equal  ways  of  trials  be  ap- 
pointed, fees  moderated,  and 
intricacies  and  windings  as 
much  cut  off  as  may  be,  lest 
injured  persons  be  forced 
to  perish  under  the  oppres- 
sion, or  under  the  law  ;  in 
the  injury,  or  in  the  suit. 
Laws  are  like  Princes ; 
those  best  and  most  be- 
loved, who  are  most  easy  of 
access. 

10.  Places  of  Judicature 
ought  at  no  hand  to  be  sold 
by  pious  Princes,  who  re- 
member themselves  to  be 
Fathers  of  the  people.  For 
they  that  huy  the  ofice  will 
sell  the  act,  and  they  that 
at  any  rate  will  be  Judges, 
will  not  at  any  easy  rate  do 
Justice  ;  and  their  bribery 
is  less  punishable,  when 
bribery  opened  the  door  by 
which  they  entered. 

11.  Ancient  pri\aleges, 
favours,  customs,  and  acts 
of  grace  indulged  by  former 
Kings  to  their  people,  must 
not  without  high  reason  and 
great  necessities  be  revoked 
by  their  successors,  nor  for- 
feitures be  exacted  violently, 
nor  penal  laws  urged  rigor- 
ously nor  in  light  cases,  nor 
laws  be  multiplied  without 
great  need,  nor  vicious  per- 
sons, which  are  publicly  and 


'  1  Kings  xii. 


152 


THE  DUTY  OP  SUPERIORS. 


deservedly  hated,  be  kept  in 
defiance  of  popular  desires  ; 
nor  any  thing  that  may 
unnecessarily  make  the 
yoke  heavy  and  the  affec- 
tion light,  that  may  in- 
crease murmurs  and  lessen 
charity  :  always  remember- 
ing, that  the  interest  of  the 
Prince  and  the  People  is  so 
enfolded  in  a  mutual  em- 
brace, that  they  cannot  be 
untwisted  without  pulling 
a  limb  off,  or  dissolving  the 
bands  and  conjunction  of 
the  whole  body. 

12.  All  Princes  must  es- 
teem themselves  as  much 
hound  by  their  word,  by 
their  grants,  and  by  their 
promises,  as  the  meanest  of 
their  subjects  are  by  the 
restraint  and  penalty  of 
laws :  and  although  they 
are  superior  to  the  people, 
yet  they  are  not  superior  to 
their  own  voluntary  con- 
cessions and  engagements, 
their  promises  and  oaths, 
when  once  they  are  passed 
from  them. 

The  duty  of  Superiors  as 
they  are  Judges. 

1.  Princes  in  Judgment 
and  their  Delegate  Judges 
must  judge  the  causes  of  all 
persons  uprightly  and  im- 
partially, without  any  per- 
sonal consideration  of  the 
power  of  the  mighty,  or  the 


bribe  of  the  rich,  or  the 
needs  of  the  poor.  For  al- 
though the  poor  must  fare 
no  worse  for  his  poverty, 
yet  in  justice  he  must  fare 
no  better  for  it :  And  al- 
though the  rich  must  be  no 
more  regarded,  yet  he  must 
not  be  less.  And  to  this 
purpose  the  tutor  of  Cyrus 
instructed  him,  when,  in  a 
controversy  where  a  great 
boy  would  have  taken  a 
large  coat  from  a  little  boy, 
because  his  own  was  too 
little  for  him,  and  the 
other's  was  too  big,  he  ad- 
judged the  great  coat  to 
the  great  boy :  his  tutor 
answered,  Sir,  if  you  were 
made  a  Judge  of  decency  or 
fitness,  you  had  judged  well 
in  giving  the  biggest  to  the 
biggest ;  but  when  you  were 
appointed  Judge,  not  whom 
the  coat  did  fit,  but  whose 
it  was,  you  should  have  con- 
sidered the  title  and  the 
possession,  who  did  the  vio- 
lence, and  who  made  it,  or 
who  bought  it.  And  so  it 
must  be  in  judgments  be- 
tween the  rich  and  the 
poor :  it  is  not  to  be  con- 
sidered what  the  poor  man 
needs,  but  what  is  his  own. 
2.  A  Prince  may  not, 
much  less  may  inferior 
Judges,  deny  justice  when 
it  is  legally  and  compe- 
tently   demanded  :    and  if 


THE  DUTY  OF  SUPEEIORS. 


153 


the  Prince  will  use  his  pre- 
rogative in  pardoning  an 
offender  against  whom  Jus- 
tice is  required,  he  must  be 
careful  to  give  satisfaction 
to  the  injured  person,  or  his 
relatives,  by  some  other  in- 
strument ;  and  be  watchful 
to  take  away  the  scandal, 
that  is,  lest  such  indulgence 
might  make  persons  more 
bold  to  do  injury  :  and  if  he 
spares  the  life,  let  him 
change  the  punishment  into 
that  which  may  make  the 
offender  (if  not  suffer  jus- 
tice, yet)  do  justice,  and 
more  real  advantage  to  the 
injured  person. 

These  Rules  concern  Prin- 
ces and  their  delegates  in 
the  making  or  administer- 
ing laws,  in  the  appointing 
rules  of  justice  and  doing 
acts  of  judgment.  The  duty 
of  Parents  to  their  Children 
and  Nephews  is  briefly  de- 
scribed by  jS.  Paul. 

The  duty  of  Parents  to  their 
Children. 

1.  Fathers,  provoJce  not 
your  children  to  wrath^ : 
that  is,  be  tender-bowelled, 
pitiful  and  gentle,  comply- 
ing with  all  the  infirmities 
of  the  Children,  and  in  their 
several  ages  proportioning 
to  them  several  usages  ac- 

s  Ephes.  vi.  4.  *>  Hcb 

H 


cording  to  their  needs  and 
their  capacities. 

2.  Bring  them  wp  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord :  that  is,  secure 
their  Religion,  season  their 
younger  years  with  prudent 
and  pious  principles,  make 
them  in  love  with  virtue, 
and  make  them  habitually 
so  before  they  come  to  choose 
or  to  discern  good  from  evil ; 
that  their  choice  may  be 
with  less  difficulty  and  dan- 
ger. For  while  they  are 
under  discipline,  they  suck 
in  all  that  they  are  first 
taught,  and  believe  it  in- 
finitely. Provide  for  them 
wise,  learned,  and  virtuous 
Tutors,  and  good  company 
and  discipline  h,  seasonable 
baptism,  catechism,  and  con- 
firmation. For  it  is  a  great 
folly  to  heap  up  much  wealth 
for  our  Children,  and  not  to 
take  care  concerning  the 
Children,  for  whom  we  get 
it.  It  is  as  if  a  man  should 
take  more  care  about  his 
shoe  than  about  his  foot. 

3.  Parents  must  shew 
piety  at  homei;  that  is,  they 
must  give  good  example  and 
reverent  deportment  in  the 
face  of  their  children  ;  and 
all  those  instances  of  charity 
which  usually  endear  each 
other,  sweetness  of  conver- 
sation,  affability,   frequent 


xii.  9. 


1  Tim.  V.  4. 


154 


THE  DUTY  OF  SUPEEIORS. 


admonition,  all  significa- 
tions of  love  and  tender- 
ness, care  and  watchfulness, 
must  be  expressed  towards 
Children,  that  they  may- 
look  upon  their  Parents  as 
their  friends  and  patrons, 
their  defence  and  sanctuary, 
their  treasure  and  their 
guide.  Hither  is  to  be  re- 
duced the  nursing  of  Chil- 
dren, which  is  the  first  and 
most  natural  and  necessary 
instance  of  piety  which  mo- 
thers can  shew  to  their 
babes  ;  a  duty  from  which 
nothing  will  excuse,  but  a 
disability,  sickness,  danger, 
or  public  necessity. 

4.  Parents  must  i^rovide 
for  their  oivn  ^  according  to 
their  condition,  education, 
and  employment ;  called  by 
Saint  P«?^/,  a  laying  ui^  for 
the  children,  that  is,  an  en- 
abling them  by  competent 
portions,  or  good  trades,  arts, 
or  learning,  to  defend  them- 
selves against  the  chances 
of  the  world ;  that  they  may 
not  be  exposed  to  tempta- 
tion, to  beggary,  or  un- 
worthy arts.  And  although 
this  must  be  done  without 
covetousuess,  without  impa- 
tient and  greedy  desires  of 
making  them  rich  ;  yet  it 
must  be  done  with  much 
care  and  great  afiection, 
with  all   reasonable  provi- 


sion, and  according  to  our 
power:  and  if  we  can  without 
sin  improve  our  estates  for 
them,  that  also  is  part  of 
the  duty  we  owe  to  God  for 
them.  And  this  rule  is  to 
extend  to  all  that  descend 
from  us,  although  we  have 
been  overtaken  in  a  fault, 
and  have  unlawful  issue  ; 
they  also  become  part  of  our 
care,  yet  so  as  not  to  injure 
the  production  of  the  lawful 
bed. 

5.  This  duty  is  to  extend 
to  a  provision  of  conditions 
and  an  estate  of  life.  Pa- 
rents must  according  to 
then-  power  and  reason  pro- 
vide husbands  or  wives  for 
their  children.  In  which 
they  must  secure  piety  and 
religion,  and  the  afiection 
and  love  of  the  interested 
persons  ;  and  after  these  let 
them  make  what  provisions 
they  can  for  other  conveni- 
ences or  advantages :  ever 
remembering,  that  they  can 
do  no  injury  more  afflictive 
to  the  children,  than  to  join 
them  with  cords  of  a  dis- 
agreeing afiection :  it  is  like 
tying  a  wolf  and  a  lamb,  or 
planting  the  vine  in  a  gar- 
den of  coleworts.  Let  them 
be  persuaded  with  reason- 
able inducements  to  make 
them  willing  and  to  choose 
according  to    the   parents' 


k  1  Tim.  V.  8,  10. 


THE  DUTY  OF  SUPERIORS. 


155 


wish,  but  at  no  hand  let  them  I  all  night,  than  to  go  to  bed 
be  forced.     Better  to  sit  up  '  with  a  dragon. 


The  duty  of  Husbands,  d'C. 

See  Chap.  2.  Sect.  3. 


Rules  for  married  persons. 

1,   Husbands   must   give 
to  their  wives  love,  main- 
tenance,    duty,     and     the 
sweetnesses  of  conversation ; 
(and   wives   must    pay    to 
them  all  they  have  or  can 
with  the  interest  of  obedi- 
ence  and   reverence :)  and 
they  must  be  complicated 
in  affections   and   interest, 
that  there  be  no  distinction 
between  them  of  Mine  and 
Thine.     And  if  the  title  be 
the  man's,  or  the  woman's, 
yet  the  use  must  be  com- 
mon ;  only  the  wisdom  of  the 
man  is  to  regulate  all  ex- 
travagancies and   indiscre- 
tions.    In  other  things  no 
question  is  to  be  made  ;  and 
their   goods    should   be   as 
their  children,  not  to  be  di- 
vided, but  of  one  possession 
and  provision  :   whatsoever 
is  otherwise,  is  not  marriage 
but  merchandise.  And  upon 
this   ground   I   suppose    it 
was,    that    S.  Basil    com- 
mended  that   woman   who 
took  part  of  her  husband's 
goods    to    do    good   works 

n  Sara 


withal  :  for  supposing  him 
to  be  unwilling,  and   that 
the  work  was  his   duty  or 
hers  alone,  or  both  theirs  in 
conjunction,  or  of  great  ad- 
vantage to  either  of  their 
Souls,  and   no  violence  to 
the  support  of  their  families, 
she  hath  right  to  all  that  : 
and   Abigail    of    her    own 
right  made  a  costly  present 
to  David,  when  her  husband 
Nahal  had  refused  it '.    The 
husband  must  rule  over  his 
wife,  as  the  Soul  does  over 
the  body,  obnoxious  to  the 
same  sufferings,  and  bound 
by  the  same  affections,  and 
doing   or   suffering  by  the 
permissions  and  interest  of 
each  other :  that  (as  the  old 
philosopher  said)  as  the  hu- 
mours of  the  body  are  ming- 
led with  each  other  in  the 
whole  substances,  so   mar- 
riage may  be  a  mixture  of 
interests,  of  bodies,  of  minds, 
of  friends,  a  conjunction  of 
the  whole  life,  and  the  no- 
blest of  friendships.    But  if 
after   all   the   fair   deport- 
ments and  innocent  chaste 
compliances,   the    husband 


156 


THE  DUTY  OP  SUPERIORS. 


be  morose  and  ungentle,  let 
the  wife  discourse  thus  ;  if 
while  I  do  my  duty  my  hus- 
band neglects  me,  what  will 
he  do  if  I  neglect  him  ?  and 
if  she  thinks  to  be  separated 
by  reason  of  her  husband's 
imchaste  life,  let  her  con- 
sider, that  then  the  man 
will  be  incurably  ruined, 
and  her  rivals  could  wish 
nothing  more  than  that  they 
might  possess  him  alone. 

The  duty  of  Masters  of 
Families. 

1,  The  same  care  is  to 
extend  to  all  of  our  family 
in  their  proportions,  as  to 
our  children :  for  as  by 
Saint  Paul's  economy  the 
heir  differs  nothing  from  a 
servant  while  he  is  in  mino- 
rity™, so  a  servant  should 
differ  nothing  from  a  child 
in  the  substantial  part  of 
the  care  ;  and  the  differ- 
ence is  only  in  degrees.  Ser- 
vants and  masters  are  of 
the  same  kindred,  of  the 
same  nature,  and  heirs  of 
the  same  promises,  and 
therefore  *1.  must  be  pro- 
vided of  necessaries  for  their 
support  and  maintenance. 
2.  They  must  be  used  with 
mercy.  3.  Their  work  must 
be  tolerable  and  merciful. 
4.  Their  restraints  must  be 
reasonable.    5.  Their  recre- 

m  Gal.  iv.  1,2. 


ations  fitting  and  healthful. 
6.  Their  religion  and  the 
interest  of  Souls  taken  care 
of.  7.  And  masters  must 
correct  their  servants  with 
gentleness,  prudence,  and 
mercy  ;  not  for  every  slight 
fault,  not  always,  not  with 
upbraiding  and  disgraceful 
language,  but  with  such 
only  as  may  express  and  re- 
prove the  fault,  and  amend 
the  person.  But  in  all  these 
things  measures  are  to  be 
taken  by  the  contract  made, 
by  the  laws  and  customs  of 
the  place,  by  the  sentence 
of  prudent  and  merciful 
men,  and  by  the  cautions 
and  remembrances  given  us 
by  God  ;  such  as  is  th?vt 
written  by  >S'.  Paul^.  as 
hioioing  that  we  also  have 
a  Master  in  Heaven.  The 
master  must  not  be  a  lion 
in  his  house,  lest  his  power 
be  obeyed,  and  his  person 
hated  ;  his  eye  be  waited  on, 
and  his  business  be  neg- 
lected in  secret.  No  servant 
will  do  his  duty,  unless  he 
make  a  conscience,  or  love 
his  master:  if  he  does  it 
not  for  God's  sake  or  his 
master's,  he  will  not  need 
to  do  it  always  for  his  own. 

The  duty  of  Guardians  or 
Tutors. 

Tutors  and  guardians  are 
"  Col.  iv.  1. 


OF  CIVIL  CONTRACTS. 


157 


in  the  place  of  parents ; 
and  what  they  are  in  fiction 
of  law,  they  must  remember 
as  an  argument  to  engage 
them  to  do  in  reality  of 
duty.  They  must  do  all 
the  duty  of  parents,  except- 
ing those  obligations  which 
are  merely  natural. 


^  The  duty  of  Ministers  and 
Spiritual  Guides  to  the 
people  is  of  so  great  bur- 
den, so  various  rules,  so 
intricate  and  busy  cau- 
tion, that  it  requires  a 
distinct  tractate  by  it 


Sect.  III. 


OF  NEaOTIATION,  OR  CIVIL  CONTRACTS. 


This  part  of  justice  is 
such,  as  depends  upon  the 
laws  of  man  directly,  and 
upon  the  laws  of  God  only 
by  consequence  and  indi- 
rect reason  ;  and  from  civil 
laws  or  private  agreements 
it  is  to  take  its  estimate  and 
measures  :  and  although 
our  duty  is  plain  and  easy, 
requiring  of  us  honesty  in 
contracts,  sincerity  in  af- 
firming, simplicity  in  bar- 
gaining, and  faithfulness  in 
performing  ;  yet  it  may  be 
helped  by  the  addition  of 
these  following  rules  and 
considerations. 

Rules  and  measures  of  Jus- 
tice in  bargaining. 

1.  In  making  contracts, 
use  not  many  words  ;  for  all 
the  business  of  a  bargain  is 
summed  up  in  few  sentences : 
and  he  that   speaks  least, 


means  fairest ;  as  having 
fewer  opportunities  to  de- 
ceive. 

2.  Lie  not  at  all;  neither 
in  a  little  thing,  nor  in  a 
great ;  neither  in  the  sub- 
stance, nor  in  the  circum- 
stance ;  neither  in  word, 
nor  deed  :  that  is,  pretend 
not  what  is  false,  cover  not 
what  is  true,  and  let  the 
measure  of  your  affirmation 
or  denial  be  the  under- 
standing of  your  contrac- 
tor ;  for  he  that  deceives 
the  buyer  or  the  seller,  by 
speaking  what  is  true  in  a 
sense  not  intended  or  under- 
stood by  the  other,  is  a  liar 
and  a  thief.  For  in  bar- 
gains you  are  to  avoid  not 
only  what  is  false,  but  that 
also  which  deceives. 

3.  In  prices  of  bargaining 
concerning  uncertain  mer- 
chandises, you  may  buy  as 


158 


OF  CIVIL  CONTRACTS. 


cheap  ordinarily  as  you  can, 
and  sell  as  dear  as  you  can, 
so  it  be  1 .  without  violence ; 
and  2.  when  you  contract 
on  equal  terms  with  persons 
in  all  senses  (as  to  the  mat- 
ter and  skill  of  bargaining) 
equal  to  yourself,  that  is, 
merchants  with  merchants, 
wise  men  with  wise  men, 
rich  with  rich  ;  and  3.  when 
there  is  no  deceit,  and  no 
necessity,  and  no  monopoly  : 
for  in  these  cases,  viz.  when 
the  contractors  are  equal, 
and  no  advantage  on  either 
side,  both  parties  are  volun- 
tary, and  therefore  there 
can  be  no  injustice  or  wrong 
to  either.  But  then  add 
also  this  consideration ;  that 
the  public  be  not  oppressed 
by  unreasonable  and  unjust 
rates  :  for  which  the  follow- 
ing rules  are  the  best  mea- 
sure. 

4.  Let  your  prices  be  ac- 
cording to  that  measure  of 
good  and  evil  which  is  esta- 
blished in  the  same  and 
common  accounts  of  the 
wisest  and  most  merciful 
men  skilled  in  that  manu- 
facture or  commodity ;  and 
the  gain  such  which  with- 
out scandal  is  allowed  to 
persons  in  all  the  same  cir- 
cumstances. 

5.  Let  no  prices  be  height- 
ened by  the  necessity  or  un- 
skilfulness  of  the  contrac- 


tor :  for  the  first  is  direct 
uncharitableness  to  the  per- 
son, and  injustice  in  the 
thing ;  (because  the  man's 
necessity  could  not  natur- 
ally enter  into  the  con- 
sideration of  the  value  of 
the  commodity ;)  and  the 
other  is  deceit  and  oppres- 
sion :  much  less  must  any 
man  make  necessities  ;  as 
by  engrossing  a  commodity, 
by  monopoly,  by  detaining 
corn,  or  the  like  indirect 
arts  ;  for  such  persons  are 
unjust  to  all  single  persons 
with  whom  in  such  cases 
they  contract,  and  oppres- 
sors of  the  public. 

6.  In  intercourse  with 
others,  do  not  do  all  which 
you  may  lawfully  do  ;  but 
keep  something  within  thy 
power :  and  because  there 
is  a  latitude  of  gain  in  buy- 
ing and  selling,  take  not 
thou  the  utmost  penny  that 
is  laAvful,  or  which  thou 
thinkest  so  ;  for  although  it 
be  lawful,  yet  it  is  not  safe  ; 
and  he  that  gains  all  that 
he  can  gain  lawfully  this 
year,  possibly  next  year  will 
be  tempted  to  gain  some- 
thing unlawfully. 

7.  He  that  sells  dearer, 
by  reason  he  sells  not  for 
ready  money,  must  increase 
his  price  no  higher  than  to 
make  himself  recompence 
for  the  loss  which  accord- 


OP  CIVIL  CONTRACTS. 


ing  to  the  rules  of  trade  te 
sustained  by  his  forbear- 
ance, according  to  common 
computation,  reckoning  in 
also  the  hazard,  which  he  is 
prudently,  warily,  and  cha- 
ritably, to  estimate.  But 
although  this  be  the  mea- 
sure of  his  justice,  yet  be- 
cause it  happens  either  to 
their  friends,  or  to  necessi- 
tous and  poor  persons,  they 
are  in  these  cases  to  consi- 
der the  rules  of  friendship 
and  neighbourhood,  and  the 
obligations  of  charity,  lest 
justice  turn  into  unmerci- 
fulness. 

8.  No  man  is  to  be  raised 
in  his  price  or  rents  in  re- 
gard of  any  accident,  ad- 
vantage or  disadvantage  of 
his  person.  A  Prince  must 
be  used  conscionably,  as 
well  as  a  common  person  ; 
and  a  beggar  be  treated 
justly,  as  well  as  a  Prince  : 
with  this  only  difference, 
that  to  poor  persons  the 
utmost  measure  and  extent 
of  justice  is  unmerciful, 
which  to  a  rich  person  is 
innocent,  because  it  is  just, 
and  he  needs  not  thy  mercy 
and  remission. 

9.  Let  no  man  for  his  own 
poverty  become  more  op- 
pressing and  cruel  in  his 
bargain  ;  but  quietly,  mo- 
destly, diligently,  and  pati- 
ently, recommend  his  estate 


159 

to  God,  and  follow  its  in- 
terest, and  leave  the  success 
to  Him :  for  such  courses 
will  more  probably  advance 
his  trade ;  they  will  cer- 
tainly procure  him  a  bles- 
sing and  a  recompence ;  and 
if  they  cure  not  his  poverty, 
they  will  take  away  the  evil 
of  it :  and  there  is  nothing 
else  in  it  that  can  trouble 
him. 

10.  Detain  not  the  wages 
of  the  hireling  ;  for  every 
degree  of  detention  of  it 
beyond  the  time  is  injustice 
and  uncharitableness,  and 
grinds  his  face  till  tears 
and  blood  come  out :  but 
pay  him  exactly  according 
to  covenant,  or  according  to 
his  needs. 

11.  Religiously  keep  all 
promises  and  covenants, 
though  made  to  your  disad- 
vantage, though  afterwards 
you  perceive  you  might  have 
been  better :  and  let  not  any 

!  precedent  act  of  yours  be 
altered   by   any  after-acci- 
!  dent.      Let   nothing   make 
!  you  break  your  promise,  un- 
less it  be  unlawful  or  im- 
possible :  that  is,  either  out 
'  of  your  natural,  or  out  of 
'  your   civil   power,  yourself 
being  under  the  power  of 
another  ;  or  that  it  be  in- 
tolerably   inconvenient    to 
yourself,  and  of  no  advan- 
tage  to   another ;    or   that 


160 


OP  CIVIL  CONTRACTS. 


you  have  leave  expressed, 
or  reasonably  presumed. 

12.  Let  no  man  take 
wages  or  fees  for  a  work 
that  he  cannot  do,  or  cannot 
with  probability  undertake, 
or  in  some  sense  profitably 
and  with  ease  or  with  ad- 
vantage manage.  Physi- 
cians must  not  meddle  with 
desperate  diseases,  and 
known  to  be  incurable, 
without  declaring  their 
sense  before-hand  ;  that  if 
the  patient  please  he  may 
entertain  him  at  adventure, 
or  to  do  him  some  little  ease. 
Advocates  must  deal  plainly 
with  their  clients,  and  teU 
them  the  true  state  and  dan- 
ger of  their  case  ;  and  must 
not  pretend  confidence  in  an 
evil  cause  :  but  when  he 
hath  so  cleared  his  own  in- 
nocence, if  the  client  will 
have  collateral  and  legal 
advantages  obtained  by  his 
industry,  he  may  engage  his 
endeavour,  provided  he  do 
no  injury  to  the  right  cause, 
or  any  man's  person. 

13.  Let  no  man  appropri- 
ate to  his  own  use  what  God 
by  a  special  mercy,  or  the 
republic,  hath  made  com- 
mon ;  for  that  is  both  a- 
gainst  justice  and  charity 
too  :  and  by  miraculous  ac- 
cidents God  hath  declared 


His  displeasure  against  such 
enclosure.  When  the  kings 
of  Naples  enclosed  the  gar- 
dens of  CEnotria,  where  the 
best  manna  of  Calabria  de- 
scends, that  no  man  might 
gather  it  without  paying 
tribute;  the  manna  ceased, 
tUl  the  tribute  was  taken 
ofi";  and  then  it  came  again : 
and  so,  when  after  the  third 
trial  the  Princes  found  they 
could  not  have  that  in  pro- 
per which  God  made  to  be 
common,  they  left  it  as  free 
as  God  gave  it.  The  like  hap- 
pened in  Epire :  when  Zfi/si- 
machus  laid  an  impost  upon 
the  Tragascean  Salt,  it  van- 
ished, till  Lysimachus  left  it 
public.  And  when  the  pro- 
curators of  king  Antigonus 
imposed  a  rate  upon  the 
sick  people  that  came  to 
Edepsuinto  drink  the  waters 
which  were  lately  sprung, 
and  were  very  healthful,  in- 
stantly the  waters  dried 
up,  and  the  hope  of  gain 
perished  ». 

The  sum  of  all  is  in  these 
words  of  S.  Paul ;  Let  no 
man  go  beyond  and  defraud 
his  brother  in  any  matter, 
because  the  Lord  is  the  aven- 
ger of  all  suchp.  And  our 
blessed  Saviour,  in  the  enu- 
merating the  duties  of  jus- 
tice, besides  the  Command- 


"  Caelius  Rhod.  lib.  ix. 
P  1  Thess.  iv.  6. 


12.  Athenae.  Deipnos.  lib.  iii. 


OF  CIVIL  CONTRACTS. 


161 


ment  of  Do  not  steal,  adds 
Defraud  not;  forbidding 
(as  a  distinct  explication  of 
the  old  law)  the  tacit  and 
secret  theft  of  abusing  our 
brother  in  civil  contracts  i. 
And  it  needs  no  other  argu- 
ments to  enforce  this  cau- 
tion, but  only  that  the  Lord 
hath  undertaken  to  avenge 
all  such  persons.  And,  as 
He  always  does  it  in  the  great 


day  of  recompences ;  so  very 
often  He  does  it  here,  by 
making  the  unclean  portion 
of  injustice  to  be  as  a  can- 
ker-worm eating  up  all  the 
other  increase:  it  procures 
beggary,  and  a  declining 
estate,  or  a  caitiff  cursed 
spirit,  an  ill  name,  the  curse 
of  the  injured  and  oppressed 
person,  and  a  fool  or  a  pro- 
I  digal  to  be  his  heir. 


Sect.  iv. 


or  restitution. 


Restitution  is  that  part  of 
justice  to  which  a  man  is 
obliged  by  a  precedent  con- 
tract, or  a  fore-going  fault, 
by  his  own  act  or  another 
man's,  either  with  or  with- 
out his  will.  He  that  bor- 
rows, is  bound  to  pay  ;  and 
much  more  he  that  steals  or 
cheats.  For  if  he  that  bor- 
rows and  pays  not  when  he 
is  able,  be  an  unjust  per- 
son and  a  robber,  because 
he  possesses  another  man's 
goods  to  the  right  owner's 
prejudice ;  then  he  that  took 
them  at  first  without  leave, 
is  the  same  thing  in  every 
instant  of  his  possession, 
which  the  debtor  is  after 
the  time  in  which  he  should 
and  could  have  made  pay- 


ment. For  in  all  sins  we 
are  to  distinguish  the  tran- 
sient or  passing  act  from 
the  remaining  effect  or  evil. 
The  act  of  stealing  was  soon 
over,  and  cannot  be  undone, 
and  for  it  the  sinner  is  only 
answerable  to  God,  of  His 
Vicegerent ;  and  he  is  in  a 
particular  manner  appoint- 
ed to  expiate  it  by  suffering 
punishment,  and  repenting, 
and  asking  pardon,  and 
judging  and  condemning 
himself,  doing  acts  of  justice 
and  charity  in  opposition 
and  contradiction  to  that 
evil  action.  But  because  in 
the  case  of  stealing  there  is 
an  injury  done  to  our  neigh- 
bour, and  the  evil  still  re- 
mains after  the  action  is 


1  Lev.  xix.  13  ;  1  Cor.  vi.  8;  Mat.  x.  19. 


162 


OF  RESTITUTION. 


past;  therefore  for  this  we 
are  accountable  to  our  neigh- 
bour, and  we  are  to  take  the 
evil  off  from  him  which  we 
brought  upon  him,  or  else 
he  is  an  injured  person,  a 
sufferer  all  the  while :  and 
that  any  man  should  be  the 
worse  for  me  and  my  direct 
act,  and  by  my  intention,  is 
against  the  rule  of  equity, 
of  justice,  and  of  charity ;  I 
do  not  that  to  others,  which 
I  would  have  done  to  my- 
self ;  for  I  grow  richer  upon 
the  ruins  of  his  fortune. 
Upon  this  ground  it  is  a 
determined  rule  in  Divinity, 
Our  sin  can  never  be  par- 
doned till  we  have  restored 
what  we  unjustly  took,  or 
wroncjfully  detain :  restored 
it  (I  mean)  actually,  or  in 
purpose  and  desire,  which 
we  must  really  perform  when 
we  can.  And  this  doctrine, 
besides  its  evident  and  appa- 
rent reasonableness,  is  de- 
rived from  the  express  words 
of  Scripture,  reckoning  Re- 
stitution  to  be  a  part  of  Re- 
pentance, necessary  in  order 
to  the  remission  of  our  sins. 
//  the  wicked  restore  the 
pledge,  give  aqain  that  he 
had  rohhed,  &c.  he  shall 
surely  live,  he  shall  not  die''. 
*The  practice  of  this  part 
of  justice  is  to  be  directed 
by  the  following  rules. 

r  Ezek. 


Rules  of  making  Restitution. 

1 .  Whosoever  is  an  effec- 
tive real  cause  of  doing  his 
Neighbour  wrong,  by  what 
instrument  soever  he  does 
it,  (whether  by  commanding 
or  encouraging  it,  by  coun- 
selling or  commending  it, 
by  acting  it  or  not  hinder- 
ing it  when  he  might  and 
ought,  by  concealing  it  or 
receiving  it,)  is  bound  to 
make  restitution  to  his 
Neighbour  ;  if  without  him 
the  injury  had  not  been  done, 
I  but  by  him  or  his  assistance 
it  was.  For  by  the  same 
reason  that  every  one  of 
these  is  guilty  of  the  sin, 
and  is  cause  of  the  injury, 
by  the  same  they  are  bound 
to  make  reparation  ;  because 
by  him  his  Neighbour  is 
made  worse,  and  therefore 
is  to  be  put  into  that  state 
from  whence  he  was  forced. 
And  suppose  that  thou  hast 
persuaded  an  injury  to  be 
done  to  thy  Neighbour,  which 
others  would  have  persuad- 
ed if  thou  hadst  not,  yet 
thou  art  still  obliged,  be- 
cause thou  really  didst  cause 
the  injury ;  just  as  they  had 
been  obliged  if  they  had 
done  it :  and  thou  art  not 
at  all  the  less  bound  by 
having  persons  as  ill  in- 
clined as  thou  wert. 

xxxiii.  15. 


OF  RESTITUTION. 


163 


2.  lie  that  commanded 
the  injury  to  be  done,  is  first 
bound;  then  he  that  did 
it :  and  after  these,  they 
also  are  obliged,  who  did  so 
assist,  as  without  them  the 
thing  would  not  have  been 
done.  If  satisfaction  be 
made  by  any  of  the  former, 
the  latter  is  tied  to  repent- 
ance, but  no  restitution : 
but  if  the  injured  person  be 
not  righted,  every  one  of 
them  is  wholly  guilty  of  the 
injustice,  and  therefore 
bound  to  restitution  singly 
and  entirely. 

3.  Whosoever  intends  a  lit- 
tle injury  to  his  Neighbour, 
and  acts  it,  and  by  it  a  greater 
evil  accidentally  comes  ;  he 
is  obliged  to  make  an  entire 
reparation  of  all  the  injury ; 
of  that  which  he  intended, 
and  of  that  which  he  in- 
tended not  but  yet  acted 
by  his  own  instrument  go- 
ing further  than  he  at  first 
purposed  it.  He  that  set 
fire  on  a  plane-tree  to  spite 
his  Neighbour,  and  the 
plane-tree  set  fire  on  his 
Neighbour's  house,  is  bound 
to  pay  for  all  the  loss,  be- 
cause it  did  all  arise  from 
his  own  ill  intention.  It  is 
like  murder  committed  by  a 
drunken  person  ;  involun- 
tary in  some  of  the  effect,  but 
voluntary  in  the  other  parts 
of  it  J  and  in  all  the  cause  ; 


and  therefore  the  guilty 
person  is  answerable  for  all 
of  it.  kndiVf\iQn  Ariarathes, 
the  Cappadocian  King,  had 
but  in  wantonness  stopped 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Me- 
lanus,  although  he  intended 
no  evil,  yet  Euphrates  be- 
ing swelled  by  that  means, 
and  bearing  away  some  of 
the  strand  of  Cappadocia, 
did  great  spoil  to  the  Phry- 
gians and  Galatians ;  he 
therefore  by  the  Roman 
Senate  was  condemned  in 
three  hundred  talents  to- 
wards reparation  of  the 
damage.  Much  rather  there- 
fore, when  the  lesser  part 
of  the  evil  was  directly  in- 
tended. 

4.  He  that  hinders  a 
charitable  person  from  giv- 
ing alms  to  a  poor  man,  is 
tied  to  restitution,  if  he 
hindered  him  by  fraud  or 
violence ;  because  it  was  a 
right  which  the  poor  man 
had  when  the  good  man  had 
designed  and  resolved  it, 
and  the  fraud  or  violence 
hinders  the  efiect,  but  not 
the  purpose  :  and  therefore 
he  who  used  the  deceit  or 
the  force,  is  injurious,  and 
did  damage  to  the  poor  man. 
But  if  the  alms  were  hin- 
dered only  by  entreaty,  the 
hinderer  is  not  tied  to  re- 
stitution, because  entreaty 
took  not  liberty  away  from 


164 


OP  RESTITUTION. 


tlie  giver,  but  left  him  still 
master  of  his  own  act,  and 
he  had  power  to  alter  his 
purpose  ;  and  so  long  there 
was  no  injustice  done.  The 
same  is  the  case  of  a  testa- 
tor giving  a  legacy  either 
by  kindness  or  by  promise 
and  common  right.  He  that 
hinders  the  charitable  le- 
gacy by  fraud  or  violence, 
or  the  due  legacy  by  en- 
treaty, is  equally  obliged  to 
restitution.  The  reason  of 
the  latter  part  of  this  case 
is,  because  he  that  entreats 
or  persuades  to  a  sin,  is  as 
guilty  as  he  that  acts  it : 
and  if  without  his  persua- 
sion the  sin  and  the  injury 
would  not  be  acted,  he  is  in 
his  kind  the  entire  cause, 
and  therefore  obliged  to  re- 
pair the  injury  as  much  as 
the  person  that  does  the 
wrong  immediately. 

5.  He  that  refuses  to  do 
any  part  of  his  duty  (to 
which  he  is  otherwise  ob- 
liged) without  a  bribe,  is 
bound  to  restore  that  money ; 
because  he  took  it  in  his 
Neighbour's  wrong,  and  not 
as  a  salary  for  his  labour,  or 
a  reward  of  his  wisdom,  (for 
his  stipend  hath  paid  all 
that,)  or  he  hath  obliged 
himself  to  do  it  by  his  volun- 
tary undertaking. 

6.  He  that  takes  any 
thing  from  his  Neighbour 


which  was  justly  forfeited, 
but  yet  takes  it  not  as  a  mi- 
nister of  Justice,  but  to  sa- 
tisfy his  own  revenge  or 
avarice  ;  is  tied  to  repent- 
ance, but  not  to  restitution. 
For  my  Neighbour  is  not  the 
worse  for  my  act,  for  thither 
the  law  and  his  own  de- 
merits bore  him ;  but  be- 
cause I  took  the  forfeiture 
indirectly,  I  am  answerable 
to  God  for  my  unhandsome, 
unjust,  or  uncharitable  cir- 
cumstances. Thus  Philip 
of  Macedon  was  reproved 
by  Aristides  for  destroying 
the  Phocenses ;  because  al- 
though they  deserved  it,  yet 
he  did  it  not  in  prosecu- 
tion of  the  law  of  nations, 
but  to  enlarge  his  own  do- 
minions. 

7.  The  heir  of  an  obliged 
person  is  not  bound  to  make 
restitution,  if  the  obligation 
passed  only  by  a  personal 
act ;  but  if  it  passed  from 
his  person  to  his  estate,  then 
the  estate  passes  with  all  its 
burden.  If  the  father  by 
persuading  his  neighbour  to 
do  injustice  be  bound  to  re- 
store, the  action  is  extin- 
guished by  the  death  of  the 
father,  because  it  was  only 
the  father's  sin  that  bound 
him,  which  cannot  directly 
bind  the  son ;  therefore  the 
son  is  free.  And  this  is  so 
in  all  personal  actions,  un- 


OP  RESTITUTION. 


165 


less  where  the  civil  law  in- 
terposes and  alters  the  case. 

IT  These  rules  concern  the 
persons  that  are  obliged  to 
niahe  restitution :  the  other 
circumstances  of  it  are 
thus  described. 
8.  He  that  by  fact,  or 
word,  or  sign,  either  frau- 
dulently or  violently  does 
hurt  to  his  Neighbour's  body, 
life,  goods,  good  name, 
friends,  or  Soul ;  is  bound 
to  make  restitution  in  the 
several  instances,  according 
as  they  are  capable  to  be 
made.  In  all  these  instances 
we  must  separate  entreaty 
and  enticements  from  de- 
ceit or  violence.  If  I  per- 
suade my  Neighbour  to  com- 
mit adultery,  I  still  leave 
him  or  her  in  their  own 
power :  and  though  I  am 
answerable  to  God  for  my 
sin,  yet  not  to  my  Neighbour. 
For  I  made  her  to  be  will- 
ing ;  yet  she  was  willing : 
that  is,  the  same  at  last  as 
I  was  at  first  But  if  I  have 
used  fraud,  and  made  her  to 
believe  a  lie,  upon  which 
confidence  she  did  the  act, 
and  without  she  would  not, 
(as  if  I  tell  a  woman  her 
husband  is  dead,  or  intend- 
ed to  kill  her,  or  is  himself 
an  adulterous  man  ;)  or  if  I 
use  violence,  that  is,  either 
force  her   or   threaten  her 


with  death,  or  a  gi'ievous 
wound,  or  any  thing  that 
takes  her  from  the  liberty 
of  her  choice  ;  I  am  bound 
to  restitution  :  that  is,  to 
restore  her  to  a  right  under- 
standing of  things  and  to  a 
full  liberty,  by  taking  from 
her  the  deceit  of  the  violence. 

9.  An  adulterous  person 
is  tied  to  restitution  of  the 
injury,  so  far  as  it  is  repara- 
ble, and  can  be  made  to  the 
wronged  person  ;  that  is,  to 
make  provision  for  the  chil- 
dren begotten  in  unlawful 
embraces,  that  they  may  do 
no  injury  to  the  legitimate 
by  receiving  a  common  por- 
tion :  and  if  the  injured 
person  do  account  of  it,  he 
must  satisfy  him  with  money 
for  the  wrong  done  to  his 
bed.  He  is  not  tied  to  offer 
this,  because  it  is  no  proper 
exchange  ;  but  he  is  bound 
to  pay  it  if  it  be  reasonably 
demanded  ;  for  every  man 
hath  justice  done  him,  when 
himself  is  satisfied,  though 
by  a  word,  or  an  action,  or 
a  penny. 

10.  He  that  hath  killed 
a  man  is  bound  to  restitu- 
tion by  allowing  such  a 
maintenance  to  the  children 
and  near  relatives  of  the 
deceased  as  they  have  lost 
by  his  death,  considering 
and  allowing  for  all  circum- 
stances of  the  man's  age, 


166 

and  health,  and  probability 
of  living.  And  thus  Her- 
czdes  is  said  to  have  made 
expiation  for  the  death  of 
Iphitus  whom  he  slew,  by 
paying  a  mulct  to  his  chil- 
dren. 

11.  He  that  hath  really 
lessened  the  fame  of  his 
Neighbour  by  fraud  or  vio- 
lence, is  bound  to  restore  it 
by  its  proper  instruments  ; 
such  as  are  confession  of  his 
fault,  giving  testimony  of 
his  innocence  or  worth,  do- 
ing him  honour,  or  (if  that 
will  do  it,  and  both  parties 
agree)  by  money,  which  an- 
swers all  things. 

12.  He  that  hath  wound- 
ed his  Neighbour,  is  tied  to 
the  expences  of  the  surgeon 
and  other  incidences,  and  to 
repair  whatever  loss  he  sus- 
tains by  his  disability  to 
work  or  trade ;  and  the  same 
is  in  the  case  of  false  impri- 
sonment :  in  which  cases, 
only  the  real  effect  and  re- 
maining detriment  are  to  be 
mended  and  repaired :  for 
the  action  itself  is  to  be 
punished  or  repented  of, 
and  enters  not  into  the  ques- 
tion of  restitution.  But  in 
these  and  all  other  cases, 
the  injured  person  is  to  be 
restored  to  that  perfect  and 
good  condition  from  which 
he  was  removed  by  my  fraud 
or  violence,  so  far  as  is  pos- 


OP  RESTITUTION. 


sible.  Thus  a  ravisher  must 
repair  the  temporal  detri- 
ment or  injury  done  to  the 
maid,  and  give  her  a  dowry, 
or  marry  her  if  she  desire 
it.  For  this  restores  her 
into  that  capacity  of  being 
a  good  wife,  which  by  the 
injury  was  lost,  as  far  as  it 
can  be  done. 

13.  He  that  robbeth  his 
neighbour  of  his  goods,  or 
detains  any  thing  violently 
or  fraudulently,  is  bound 
not  only  to  restore  the  prin- 
cipal, but  all  its  fruits  and 
emoluments  which  would 
have  accrued  to  the  right 
owner  during  the  time  of 
their  being  detained.  *  By 
proportion  to  these  rules  we 
may  judge  of  the  obligation 
that  lies  upon  all  sorts  of 
injm-ious  persons :  the  sa- 
crilegious, the  detainers  of 
tithes,  cheaters  of  men's  in- 
heritances, unjust  judges, 
false  witnesses  and  accusers, 
those  that  do  fraudently  or 
violently  bring  men  to  sin, 
that  force  men  to  drink, 
that  laugh  at  and  disgrace 
virtue,  that  persuade  ser- 
vants to  run  away,  or  com- 
mend such  purposes  ;  vio- 
lent persecutors  of  religion 
in  any  instance :  and  all 
of  the  same  nature. 

14.  He  that  hath  wronged 
so  many,  or  in  that  manner, 
(as    in   the   way   of   daily 


OF  RESTITUTION. 


167 


trade,)  that  he  knows  not  in 
what  measure  he  hath  done 
it,  or  who  they  are ;  must 
redeem  his  fault  by  alms 
and  largesses  to  the  poor, 
according  to  the  value  of  his 
wrongful  dealing  as  near  as 
he  can  proportion  it.  Better 
it  is  to  go  begging  to  Hea- 
ven, than  to  go  to  Hell  laden 
with  the  spoils  of  rapine  and 
injustice. 

15.  The  order  of  paying 
the  debts  of  contract  or  re- 
stitution are  in  some  in- 
stances set  down  by  the  civil 
laws  of  a  kingdom,  in  which 
cases  their  rule  is  to  be  ob- 
served. In  destitution  or 
want  of  such  rules,  we  are 
1.  to  observe  the  necessity 
of  the  creditor,  2,  then  the 
time  of  the  delay,  and  3.  the 
special  obligations  of  friend- 
ship or  kindness  ;  and  ac- 
cording to  these  in  their 
several  degrees  make  oiu: 
restitution,  if  we  be  not  able 
to  do  all  that  we  should : 
but  if  we  be,  the  best  rule 
is,  to  do  it  so  soon  as  we 
can ;  taking  our  accounts 
in  this,  as  in  our  human 
actions,  according  to  pru- 
dence and  civil  or  natural 
conveniences  or  possibili- 
ties; only  securing  these 
two  things :  1.  That  the 
duty  be  not  wholly  omitted, 
and  2.  That  it  be  not  de- 
»  Luke  xix.  9. 


ferred  at  all  out  of  covet- 
ousness,  or  any  other  prin- 
ciple that  is  vicious.  Re- 
member that  the  same  day 
in  which  Zacheus  made  re- 
stitution to  all  whom  he  had 
injured,  the  same  day  Christ 
Himself  pronounced  that 
salvation  was  come  to  his 
houses. 

16.  But  besides  the  obli- 
gation arising  from  contract 
or  default,  there  is  one  of 
another  sort  which  comes 
from  kindness  and  the  acts 
of  charity  and  friendship  . 
He  that  does  me  a  favour, 
hath  bound  me  to  make  him 
a  return  of  thankfulness. 
The  obligation  comes  not  by 
covenant,  not  by  his  own 
express  intention,  but  by 
the  nature  of  the  thing  ; 
and  is  a  duty  springing  up 
within  the  spirit  of  the  ob- 
liged person,  to  whom  it  is 
more  natural  to  love  his 
friend,  and  to  do  good  for 
good,  than  to  return  evil  for 
evil :  because  a  man  may 
forgive  an  injury,  but  he 
must  never  forget  a  good 
turn.  For  every  thing  that 
is  excellent,  and  every  thing 
that  is  profitable,  whatso- 
ever is  good  in  itself  or  good 
to  me,  cannot  but  be  be- 
loved ;  and  what  we  love 
we  naturally  cherish  and  do 
good  to.    He  therefore  that 

t  Gratitude. 


168 


OF  RESTITUTION". 


refuses  to  do  good  to  them 
whom  he  is  bound  to  love, 
or  to  love  that  which  did 
him  good,  is  unnatural  and 
monstrous  in  his  affections, 
and  thinks  all  the  world 
born  to  minister  to  him, 
with  a  greediness  worse 
than  that  of  the  sea  ;  which, 
although  it  receives  all 
rivers  into  itself,  yet  it  fur- 
nishes the  clouds  and  springs 
with  a  return  of  all  they 
need. 

Our  duty  to  benefactors 
is  to  esteem  and  love  their 


persons,  to  make  them  pro- 
portionable returns  of  ser- 
vice or  duty,  or  profit,  ac- 
cording as  we  can,  or  as  they 
need,  or  as  opportunity  pre- 
sents itself,  and  according 
to  the  greatnesses  of  their 
kindness  ;  and  to  pray  to 
God  to  make  them  recom- 
pence  for  all  the  good  they 
have  done  to  us  ;  which  last 
office  is  also  requisite  to  be 
done  for  our  creditors,  who 
in  charity  have  relieved  our 
wants. 


Prayers  to  be  said  in  relation  to  the  several  obli- 
gations AND  offices  or  Justice. 

A  Prayer  for  the  Grace  of  Obedience,  to  he  said  hy  all 
persons  under  Command. 


0  Eternal  God,  great 
Ruler  of  men  and  Angels, 
who  hast  constituted  all 
things  in  a  wonderful  order, 
making  all  the  creatures 
subject  to  man,  and  one  man 
to  another,  and  all  to  Thee, 
the  last  link  of  this  admir- 
able chain  being  fastened 
to  the  foot  of  Thy  throne  ; 
teach  me  to  obey  all  those 
whom  Thou  hast  set  over 
me,  reverencing  their  per- 
sons, submitting  indiffer- 
ently to  all  their  lawful 
commands,  cheerfully  un- 
dergoing those  burdens 
which   the   public   wisdom 


and  necessity  shall  impose 
upon  me  ;  at  no  hand  mur- 
muring against  Govern- 
ment, lest  the  spirit  of  pride 
and  mutiny,  of  murmur  and 
disorder,  enter  into  me,  and 
consign  me  to  the  portion 
of  the  disobedient  and  rebel- 
lious, of  the  despisers  of 
dominion  and  revilers  of 
dignity.  Grant  this,  0  holy 
God,  for  His  sake,  who  for  His 
obedience  to  the  Father 
hath  obtained  the  glorifica- 
of  eternal  ages,  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


PEAYERS  RELATING  TO  THE  DUTIES  OF  JUSTICE.    169 


^  Prayers  for  Kings  and  all  Magistrates,  for  our  Parents 
spiritual  and  natural,  are  in  the  following  Litanies  at 
the  end  of  the  fourth  Chapter. 

A  Prayer  to  be  said  by  Subjects,  when  their  Land  is 
invaded  and  overrun  by  barbarous  or  wicked  people, 
enemies  of  the  Religion,  or  the  Government. 


I. 

0  Eternal  God,  Thou 
alone  rulest  in  the  King- 
doms of  men,  Thou  art  the 
great  God  of  battles  and 
recompences,  and  by  Thy 
glorious  wisdom,  by  Thy 
Almighty  power,  and  by 
Thy  secret  providence,  dost 
determine  the  events  of  Avar, 
and  the  issues  of  human 
counsels,  and  the  returns  of 
peace  and  victory:  now  at 
last  be  pleased  to  let  the 
light  of  Thy  countenance, 
and  the  effects  of  a  glorious 
mercy  and  a  gracious  par- 
don, return  to  this  Land. 
Thou  seest  how  great  evils 
we  suffer  under  the  power 
and  tyranny  of  war ;  and 
although  we  submit  to  and 
adore  Thy  justice  in  our  suf- 
ferings, yet  be  pleased  to 
pity  our  misery,  to  hear  our 
complaints,  and  to  provide 
us  of  remedy  against  our 
present  calamities  :  let  not 
the  defenders  of  a  righteous 
cause  go  away  ashamed,  nor 
our   counsels  be    for    ever 


confounded,  nor  our  parties 
defeated,  nor  Religion  sup- 
pressed, nor  learning  dis- 
countenanced, and  we  be 
spoiled  of  all  the  exterior 
ornaments,  instruments,  and 
advantages  of  piety,  which 
Thou  hast  been  pleased 
formerly  to  minister  to  our 
infirmities,  for  the  interests 
of  Learning  and  Religion. 
Amen. 

II. 

We  confess,  dear  God, 
that  we  have  deserved  to 
be  totally  extinct  and  sepa- 
rate from  the  Communion 
of  Saints,  and  the  comforts 
of  Religion ;  to  be  made  ser- 
vants to  ignorant,  unjust 
and  inferior  persons  ;  or  to 
sufiier  any  other  calamity 
which  Thou  shalt  allot  us 
as  the  instrument  of  Thy 
anger,  whom  we  have  so 
often  provoked  to  wrath  and 
jealousy.  Lord,  we  humbly 
lie  down  under  the  burden 
of  Thy  rod ;  begging  of  Thee 
to  remember  our  infirmities, 
and  no  more  to  remember 


170 


PBATERS  RELATING  TO 


our  sins,  to  support  us  with 
Thy  staff,  to  lift  us  up  with 
Thy  hand,  to  refresh  us 
with  Thy  gracious  eye : 
and,  if  a  sad  cloud  of  tem- 
poral infelicities  must  still 
encircle  us,  open  unto  us 
the  window  of  Heaven,  that 
with  an  eye  of  faith  and 
hope  we  may  see  beyond  the 
cloud,  looking  upon  those 
mercies  which  in  Thy  secret 
providence  and  admirable 
wisdom  Thou  designest  to 
all  Thy  servants,  from  such 
unlikely  and  sad  begin- 
nings. Teach  us  diligently 
to  do  all  our  duty,  and 
cheerfully  to  submit  to  all 
Thy  will;  and,  at  last,  be 
gracious  to  Thy  people  that 
call  upon  Thee,  that  put 
their  trust  in  Thee,  that 
have  laid  up  all  their  hopes 
in  the  bosom  of  God,  that 
besides  Thee  have  no  helper. 

A7n€7l. 

III. 

Place  a  Guard  of  Angels 
about  the  person  of  the 
KING,  and  immure  him 
with  the  defence  of  Thy 
right  hand,  that  no  unhal- 
lowed arm  may  do  violence 
to  him.  Support  him  with 
aids  from  Heaven  in  all  his 
battles,  trials,  and  dangers ; 
that  he  may  in  every  instant 
of  his  temptation  become 
dearer  to  Thee ;  and  do  Thou 


return  to  him  with  mercy 
and  deliverance.  Give  unto 
him  the  hearts  of  all  his 
people,  and  put  into  his 
hand  a  prevailing  rod  of 
iron,  a  sceptre  of  power,  and 
a  sword  of  Justice  ;  and 
enable  him  to  defend  and 
comfort  the  Churches  under 
his  protection. 

ly. 

Bless  all  his  friends,  re- 
latives, confederates,  and 
lieges ;  direct  their  coun- 
sels, unite  their  hearts, 
strengthen  their  hands,  bless 
their  actions.  Give  unto 
them  holiness  of  intention, 
that  they  may  with  much 
candour  and  ingenuity  pur- 
sue the  cause  of  God  and 
the  King.  Sanctify  all  the 
means  and  instruments  of 
their  purposes,  that  they 
may  not  with  cruelty,  injus- 
tice, or  oppression,  proceed 
towards  the  end  of  their 
just  desires  :  and  do  Thou 
crown  all  their  endeavours 
with  a  prosperous  event, 
that  all  may  cooperate  to, 
and  actually  produce,  those 
great  mercies  which  we  beg 
of  Thee  ;  Honour  and  safety 
to  our  Sovereign,  defence  of 
his  just  rights,  peace  to  his 
people,  establishment  and 
promotion  to  Religion,  ad- 
vantages and  encourage- 
ment to  Learning  and  holy 


THE  DUTIES  OF  JUSTICE. 


171 


living,  deliverance  to  all  the 
oppressed,  comfort  to  all  Thy 
faithful  people,  and  from  all 
these,  glory  to  Thy  holy 
Name.  Grant  this,  0  KING 
of  Kings,  for  His  sake  by 
whom  Thou  hast  consigned 
us  to  all  Thy  mercies  and 
promises,  and  to  whom  Thou 
hast  given  all  power  in 
Heaven  and  Earth,  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
A7nen. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  hy 
Kings  or  Magistrates, 
for  themselves  and  their 
People. 

0  My  God  and  King, 
Thou  rulest  in  the  King- 
doms of  men  ;  by  Thee 
Kings  reign,  and  Princes 
decree  justice  :  Thou  hast 
appointed  me  under  Thyself 
\_and  under  my  Prince "]  to 
govern  this  portion  of  Thy 
Church  according  to  the 
laws  of  Religion  and  the 
Common-wealth.  0  Lord, 
I  am  but  an  infirm  man, 
and  know  not  how  to  de- 
cree certain  sentences  with- 
out erring  in  judgment :  but 
do  Thou  give  to  Thy  servant 
an  understanding  heart  to 
judge  this  people,  that  I 
may  discern  between  good 
and  evil.  Cause  me  to  walk 
before  Thee  and  all  the 
people  in  truth  and  righte- 

"  These  words  to  be  added 


i2 


ousness,  and  in  sincerity  of 
heart;  that  I  may  not  re- 
gard the  person  of  the 
mighty,  nor  be  afraid  of 
his  terror,  nor  despise  the 
person  of  the  poor,  and  re- 
ject his  petition  ;  but  that, 
doing  justice  to  all  men,  I 
and  my  people  may  receive 
mercy  of  Thee,  peace  and 
plenty  in  our  days,  and  mu- 
tual love,  duty,  and  corre- 
spondence, that  there  be  no 
leading  into  captivity,  no 
complaining  in  our  streets ; 
but  we  may  see  the  Church 
in  prosperity  all  our  days, 
and  Religion  established 
and  increasing.  Do  Thou 
establish  the  house  of  Thy 
servant,  and  bring  me  to  a 
participation  of  the  glories 
of  Thy  Kingdom,  for  His 
sake  who  is  my  Lord  and 
King,  the  holy  and  ever- 
blessed  Saviour  of  the  world, 
our  Redeemer  Jesus.  Amen. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  hy  Pa- 
rents for  their  Children. 

0  Almighty  and  most 
merciful  Father,  who  hast 
promised  children  as  a  re- 
ward to  the  righteous,  and 
hast  given  them  to  me  as  a 
testimony  of  Thy  mercy,  and 
an  engagement  of  my  duty; 
be  pleased  to  be  a  Father 
unto  them,  and  give  them 
healthful     bodies,     under- 

by  a  delegate  or  inferior. 


172 


PRATERS  RELATI^'G  TO 


standing  Souls,  and  sancti- 
fied spirits,  that  they  may 
be  Thy  servants  and  Thy 
children  all  their  days.  Let 
a  gi'eat  mercy  and  provi- 
dence lead  them  through 
the  dangers  and  tempta- 
tions and  ignorances  of 
theu"  youth,  that  they  may 
never  run  into  folly  and  the 
evils  of  an  unbridled  appe- 
tite. So  order  the  accidents 
of  their  lives,  that  by  good 
education,  careful  tutors, 
holy  example,  innocent 
company,  prudent  counsel, 
and  Thy  restraining  gTace, 
their  duty  to  Thee  may  be 
secured  in  the  midst  of  a 
crooked  and  untoward  gene- 
ration :  and,  if  it  seem  good 
in  Thy  eyes,  let  me  be  en- 
abled to  provide  conveni- 
ently for  the  support  of  their 
persons,  that  they  may  not 
be  destitute  and  miserable  in 
my  death  ;  or  if  Thou  shalt 
call  me  off  from  this  world 
by  a  more  timely  summons, 
let  their  portion  be,  Thy 
care,  mercy,  and  providence, 
over  their  bodies  and  Souls : 
and  may  they  never  live 
vicious  lives,  nor  die  violent 
or  untimely  deaths  ;  but  let 
them  glorify  Thee  here  with 
a  free  obedience,  and  the 
duties  of  a  whole  life  :  that, 
when  they  have  served  Thee 
in  their  generations,  and 
have  profited  the  Christian 


Common  wealth,  they  may 
be  co-heirs  with  Je&us  in  the 
glories  of  Thy  eternal  King- 
dom, through  the  same  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,     Amen, 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  hy  Mas- 
ters of  Families,  Curates, 
Tutors,  or  other  oUiged 
persons,for  their  charges. 

0  Almighty  God,  merci- 
ful and  gracious,  have  mercy 
upon  my  Family  [or  Pupils, 
or  Parishioners,  &c.]  and  all 
committed  to  my  charge : 
sanctify  them  with  Thy 
grace,  preserve  them  with 
Thy  providence,  guard  them 
from  all  evil  by  the  custody 
of  Angels,  direct  them  in 
the  ways  of  peace  and  holy 
Religion  by  my  Ministery 
and  the  conduct  of  Thy  most 
Holy  Spirit,  and  consign 
them  all  with  the  participa- 
tion of  Thy  blessings  and 
graces  in  this  world,  with 
healthful  bodies,  with  good 
understandings,  and  sancti- 
fied spirits,  to  a  full  fruition 
of  Thy  glories  hereafter, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  hy  Mer- 
chants, Tradesmen,  and 
Handicrafts-rtien. 

0  Eternal  God,  Thou 
Fountain  of  justice,  mercy, 
and  benediction,  who  by  my 
education  and  other  effects 


THE  DUTIES  OF  JUSTICE. 


173 


of  Thy  Providence  hast 
called  me  to  this  profession, 
that  by  my  industry  I  may 
in  my  small  proportion  work 
together  for  the  good  of  my- 
self and  others  ;  I  humbly 
beg  Thy  grace  to  guide  me 
in  my  intention,  and  in  the 
transaction  of  my  afiairs, 
that  I  may  be  diligent,  just, 
and  faithful :  and  give  me 
Thy  favour,  that  this  my 
labour  may  be  accepted  by 
Thee  as  a  part  of  my  neces- 
sary duty :  and  give  me  Thy 
blessing  to  assist  and  pros- 
per me  in  my  calling,  to 
such  measures  as  Thou  shalt 
in  mercy  choose  for  me :  and 
be  pleased  to  let  Thy  Holy 
Spirit  be  for  ever  present 
with  me,  that  I  may  never 
be  given  to  covetousness  and 
sordid  appetites,  to  lying 
and  falsehood,  or  any  other 
base,  indirect,  and  beggarly 
arts ;  but  give  me  prudence, 
honesty  and  Christian  sin- 
cerity, that  my  Trade  may 
be  sanctified  by  my  Reli- 
gion, my  labour  by  my  in- 
tention and  Thy  blessing ; 
that,  when  I  have  done  my 
portion  of  work  Thou  hast 
allotted  me,  and  improved 
the  talent  Thou  hast  en- 
trusted to  me,  and  served 
the  Common-wealth  in  my 
capacity,  I  may  receive  the 
mighty  price  of  my  high 
calling,  which  I  expect  and 
beg,  in  the  portion  and  in- 


heritance of  the  ever  blessed 
Saviour  and  Redeemer  Jesus. 
Amen. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  hy 
Debtors,  and  all  persons 
obliged  whether  by  crime 
or  contract. 

0  Almighty  God,  who  art 
rich  unto  all,  the  treasury 
and  fountain  of  all  good,  of 
all  justice,  and  all  mercy, 
and  all  bounty,  to  whom  we 
owe  all  that  we  are,  and  all 
that  we  have,  being  Thy 
Debtors  by  reason  of  our 
sins,  and  by  Thy  own  graci- 
ous contract  made  with  us 
in  Jesus  Christ ;  teach  me 
in  the  first  place  to  perform 
all  my  Obligations  to  Thee, 
both  of  duty  and  thankful- 
ness ;  and  next  enable  me 
to  pay  my  duty  to  all  my 
friends,  and  my  debts  to  all 
my  Creditors,  that  none  be 
made  miserable  or  lessened 
in  his  estate  by  his  kindness 
to  me,  or  traffick  with  me. 
Forgive  me  all  those  sins 
and  irregular  actions  by 
which  I  entered  into  debt 
further  than  my  necessity 
required,  or  by  which  such 
necessity  was  brought  upon 
me  :  but  let  not  them  sufier 
by  occasion  of  my  sin.  Lord, 
reward  aU  their  kindness 
into  their  bosoms,  and  make 
them  recompense  where  I 
cannot,  and  make  me  very 
willing  in  all  that  I  can,  and 


174       PRAYERS  RELATING  TO  THE  DUTIES  OP  JUSTICE. 


able  for  all  that  I  am  ob- 
liged to :  or,  if  it  seem  good 
in  Thine  eyes  to  afflict  me 
by  the  continuance  of  this 
condition,  yet  make  it  up 
by  some  means  to  them,  that 
the  prayer  of  Thy  servant 
may  obtain  of  Thee  at  least 
to  pay  my  debt  in  blessings. 
Ame7i. 


Lord,  sanctify  and  for- 
give all  that  I  have  tempted 
to  evil  by  my  discourse  or 
my  example  :  instruct  them 
in  the  right  way  whom  I 
have  led  to  error,  and  let 
me  never  run  further  on  the 
score  of  sin :  but  do  Thou 
blot  out  all  the  evils  I  have 
done  by  the  sponge  of  Thy 
passion,  and  the  blood  of 
Thy  Cross  ;  and  give  me  a 
deep  and  an  excellent  re- 
pentance, and  a  free  and  a 
gracious  pardon,  that  Thou 
mayest  answer  for  me,  0 
Lord,  and  enable  me  to 
stand  upright  in  judgment; 
for  in  Thee,  0  Lord,  have  I 
trusted,  let  me  never  be 
confounded.  Pity  me  and 
instruct  me,  guide  me  and 
support  me,  pardon  me  and 
save  me,  for  my  sweet  Sa- 
viour Jesus  Christ  His  sake. 
Amen. 

A   Frayer  for  Patron  and 
Benefactors. 
0   Almighty  God,   Thou 


Fountain  of  all  good,  of  all 
excellency  both  to  Men  and 
Angels,  extend  Thine  abun-  | 
dant  favour  and  loving  kind-  | 
ness  to  my  Patron,  to  all  " 
my  Friends  and  Benefac- 
tors :  reward  them  and  make 
them  plentiful  recompence 
for  all  the  good  which  from 
Thy  merciful  providence 
they  have  conveyed  unto 
me.  Let  the  light  of  Thy 
countenance  shine  upon 
them,  and  let  them  never 
come  into  any  affliction  or 
sadness,  but  such  as  may 
be  an  instrument  of  Thy 
glory  and  their  eternal  com- 
fort. Forgive  them  all 
their  sins  ;  let  Thy  Divinest 
Spirit  preserve  them  from 
all  deeds  of  darkness.  Let 
Thy  ministering  Angels 
guard  their  persons  from 
the  violence  of  the  spirits  of 
darkness.  And  Thou  who 
knowest  every  degree  of 
their  necessity  by  Thy  in- 
finite wisdom,  give  supply 
to  all  their  needs  by  Thy 
glorious  mercy,  preserving 
their  persons,  sanctifying 
their  hearts,  and  leading 
them  in  the  ways  of  righte- 
ousness, by  the  waters  of 
comfort,  to  the  land  of  eter- 
nal rest  and  glory,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 


CHAP.  IV. 


OP  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


Religion  in  a  large  sense 
doth  signify  the  whole  duty 
of  Man  ;  comprehending  in 
it  Justice,  Charity,  and  So- 
briety :  because  all  these 
being  commanded  by  God, 
they  become  a  part  of  that 
honour'  and  worship  which 
we  are  bound  to  pay  to  Him. 
And  thus  the  word  is  used 
in  S.Jarnes :  ^'^  Pure  Religion 
and  undefiled  before  God 
and  the  Father  is  this;  To 
visit  the  fatherless  and 
widows  in  their  affliction, 
and  to  keep  himself  unspot- 
ted from  the  loorld'^.^''  But 
in  a  more  restrained  sense 
it  is  taken  for  that  part  of 
duty  which  particularly  re- 
lates to  God  in  our  worship- 
pings and  adoration  of  Him, 
in  confessing  His  excellen- 
cies, loving  His  person,  ad- 
miring His  goodness,  believ- 
ing His  Word,  and  doing  all 
that  which  may  in  a  proper 
and  direct  manner  do  Him 
honour.  It  contains  the 
duties    of  the    first   Table 

*  James  i.  27. 


only,  and  so  it  is  called  God- 
liness'^,  and  is  by  S.  Paul 
distinguished  from  Justice 
and  Sobriety.  In  this  sense 
I  am  now  to  explicate  the 
parts  of  it. 

Of  the  internal  actions  of 
Religion. 

Those  I  call  the  internal 
actions  of  Religion,  in  which 
the  Soul  only  is  employed, 
and  ministers  to  God  in  the 
special  actions  of  Faith, 
Hope,2indiCharity.  Faithhe- 
lievesthe  Revelations  of  God: 
Hope  expects  His  Promises  : 
and  Charity  loves  His  excel- 
lencies and  mercies.  Faith 
gives  our  understanding  to 
God :  Hope  gives  up  all 
the  passions  and  affections 
to  Heaven  and  heavenly 
things  :  and  Charity  gives 
the  Will  to  the  service  of 
God.  Faith  is  opposed  to 
Infidelity,  Hope  to  Despair, 
Charity  to  Enmity  and  Hos- 
tility; and  these  three  sanc- 
tify the  whole  Man,  and 
y  Tit.  ii.  12. 


176 


OF  FAITH. 


make  our  duty  to  God  and 
obedience  to  His  Command- 
ments to  be  chosen,  reason- 


able, and  delightful,  and 
therefore  to  be  entire,  'per- 
severing, and  universal. 


Sect.  I. 

OF  FAITH. 

The  acts  and  offices  of  Faith  are, 


1,  To  believe  every  thing 
which  God  hath  revealed  to 
us  ;  and  when  once  we  are 
convinced  that  God  hath 
spoken  it,  to  make  no  far- 
ther enquiry,  but  humbly 
to  submit ;  ever  remember- 
ing, that  there  are  some 
things  which  our  under- 
standing cannot  fathom, 
nor  search  out  their  depth. 

2.  To  believe  nothing  con- 
cerning God,  but  what  is 
honoui-able  and  excellent ; 
as  knowing  that  belief  to  be 
no  honouring  of  God,  which 
entertains  of  Him  any  dis- 
honourable thoughts.  Faith 
is  the  parent  of  Charity  ; 
and  whatsoever  Faith  enter- 
tains, must  be  apt  to  pro- 
duce love  to  God  :  but  he 
that  believes  God  to  be  cruel 
or  unmerciful,  or  a  rejoicer 
in  the  unavoidable  damna- 
tion of  the  greatest  part  of 
mankind,  or  that  he  speaks 
one  thing  and  privately 
means  another;  thinks  evil 
thoughts  concerning  God, 
and  such  as  for  which  we 


should  hate  a  man,  and 
therefore  are  great  enemies 
of  Faith,  being  apt  to  de- 
stroy Charity.  Our  Faith 
concerning  God  must  be  as 
Himself  hath  revealed  and 
described  His  own  excellen- 
cies :  and  in  our  discourses 
we  must  remove  from  Him 
all  imperfection,  and  attri- 
bute to  Him  all  excellency, 
3.  To  give  ourselves  wholly 
up  to  Christ  in  heart  and 
desire,  to  become  Disciples 
of  His  doctrine  with  choice 
(besides  conviction),  being 
in  the  presence  of  God  but 
as  Idiots,  that  is,  without 
any  principles  of  our  own 
to  hinder  the  truth  of  God  ; 
but  sucking  in  greedily  all 
that  God  hath  taught  us, 
believing  it  infinitely,  and 
loving  to  believe  it.  For  this 
is  an  act  of  Love  reflected 
upon  Faith,  or  an  act  of 
Faith  leaning  upon  Love. 

4.  To  believe  all  God's 
promises,  and  that  whatso- 
ever is  promised  in  Scrip- 
ture shall  on  God's  part  be 


OF  FAITH. 


177 


as  surely  performed  as  if  we 
had  it  in  possession.  This 
act  makes  us  to  rely  upon 
God  with  the  same  confi- 
dence as  we  did  on  our  Pa- 
rents when  we  were  chil- 
dren, when  we  made  no 
doubt  but  whatsoever  we 
needed  we  should  have  it  if 
it  were  in  their  power. 

5.  To  believe  also  the  con- 
ditions of  the  promise,  or 
that  part  of  the  revelation 
which  concerns  our  duty. 
Many  are  apt  to  believe  the 
Article  of  Remission  of  sins, 
but  they  believe  it  without 
the  condition  of  repentance, 
or  the  fruits  of  holy  life: 
and  that  is  to  believe  the 
Article  otherwise  than  Ood 
intended  it.  For  the  Cove- 
nant of  theGospel  is  the  great 
object  ofFaith,  and  that  sup- 
poses our  duty  to  answer 
His  grace  ;  that  Ood  will  be 
our  God^  so  long  as  we  are 
His  people.  The  other  is 
not  Faith,  but  Flattery. 

6.  To  profess  publicly  the 
doctrine  of  Jesv^  Christ, 
openly  owning  whatsoever 
He  hath  revealed  and  com- 
manded, not  being  ashamed 
of  the  Word  of  God,  or  of 
any  practices  enjoined  by 
it  ;  and  this,  without  com- 
plying with  any  man's  in- 
terest, not  regarding  favour, 
nor  being  moved  with  good 

*  Dial,  ad 


words,  not  fearing  disgrace, 
or  loss,  or  inconvenience,  or 
death  itself. 

7.  To  pray  without  doubt- 
ing, without  weariness,  with- 
out faintness,  entertaining 
no  jealousies  or  suspicions 
of  God,  but  being  confident 
of  God's  hearing  us,  and  of 
His  returns  to  us,  whatso- 
ever the  manner  or  the  in- 
stance be,  that,  if  we  do  our 
duty,  it  will  be  gracious  and 
merciful. 

These  acts  of  Faith  are 
in  several  degrees  in  the 
servants  of  Jesus;  some 
have  it  but  as  a  grain  of 
mustard-seed,  some  grow  up 
to  a  plant,  some  have  the 
fulness  of  faith:  but  the 
least  faith  that  is,  must  be 
a  persuasion  so  strong  as  to 
make  us  undertake  the  do- 
ing of  all  that  duty  which 
Christ  built  upon  the  found- 
ation of  believing.  But  we 
shall  best  discern  the  truth 
of  our  Faith  by  these  fol- 
lowing signs.  S.  Hierome^ 
reckons  three. 

Signs  of  true  Faith. 

1.  An  earnest  and  vehe- 
ment Prayer ;  for  it  is  im- 
possible we  should  heartily 
believe  the  things  of  God 
and  the  glories  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  not  most  importu- 
nately   desire    them.     For 

ver.  Lucif. 

3 


178  OF  F 

every  thing  is  desired  ac- 
cording to  our  belief  of  its 
excellency  and  possibility. 

2.  To  do  nothing  for  vain 
glory,  but  wholly  for  the 
interests  of  Religion,  and 
these  Articles  we  believe  : 
valuing  not  at  all  the  ru- 
mours of  men,  but  the  praise 
of  Ood^  to  whom  by  faith 
we  have  given  up  all  our 
intellectual  faculties. 

3.  To  be  content  with 
Ood  for  our  Judge,  for  our 
Patron,  for  our  Lord,  for  our 
friend;  desiring  God  to  be 
all  in  all  to  us,  as  we  are  in 
our  understanding  and  affec- 
tions wholly  His. 

Add  to  these  ; 

4.  To  be  a  stranger  upon 
earth  in  our  affections,  and 
to  have  all  our  thoughts 
and  principal  desires  fixed 
upon  the  matters  of  Faith, 
the  things  of  Heaven.  For, 
if  a  man  were  adopted  heir 
to  C(£sar,  he  would  (if  he 
believed  it  real  and  effec- 
tive) despise  the  present, 
and  wholly  be  at  Court  in 
his  Father's  eye ;  and  his 
desires  would  out-run  his 
swiftest  speed,  and  all  his 
thoughts  would  spend  them- 
selves in  creating  ideas  and 
little  phantastic  images  of 
his  future  condition.  Now 
God  hath  made  us  Heirs  of 

*  Jam.  ii.  18.  marginal  reading, 


His  Kingdom,  and  Co-heirs 
with  Jesus  :  if  we  believed 
this,  we  would  think  and 
affect  and  study  accord- 
ingly. But  he  that  rejoices 
in  gain,  and  his  heart  dwells 
in  the  world,  and  is  espoused 
to  a  fair  estate,  and  trans- 
ported with  a  light  moment- 
ary joy,  and  is  afflicted 
with  losses,  and  amazed  with 
temporal  persecutions,  and 
esteems  disgrace  or  poverty 
in  a  good  cause  to  be  in- 
tolerable ;  this  man  either 
hath  no  inheritance  in 
Heaven,  or  believes  none  ; 
and  believes  not  that  he  is 
adopted  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
the  Heir  of  eternal  Glory. 

5.  S.  Jameis  sign  is  the 
best :  '•''  Shewme  thy  faith  I  y 
thy  works". ^^  Faith  makes 
the  Merchant  diligent  and 
venturous,  and  that  makes 
him  rich.  Ferdinando  of 
Aragon  believed  the  story 
told  him  by  Columbus,  and 
therefore  he  furnished  him 
with  ships,  and  got  the  West 
Indies  by  his  Faith  in  the 
undertaker.  But  Henry  the 
Seventh  oiEngland  believed 
him  not,  and  therefore  trust- 
ed him  not  with  shipping,and 
lost  all  the  purchase  of  that 
Faith.  It  is  told  us  by  Christ, 
"  He  that  forgives,  shall  be 
forgiven^:''''  if  we  believe 
this,  it  is  certain  v/e  shall 
b  Luke  vi.  37. 


forgive  our  enemies ;  for 
none  of  us  all  but  need  and 
desire  to  be  forgiven.  No 
man  can  possibly  despise  or 
refuse  to  desire  such  excel- 
lent glories  as  aje  revealed 
to  them  that  are  servants  of 
Christ ;  and  yet  we  do  no- 
thing that  is  commanded  us 
as  a  condition  to  obtain 
them.  No  man  could  work 
a  day's  laboxu'  without  faith : 
but  because  he  believes  he 
shall  have  his  wages  at  the 
day's  or  week's  end,  he  does 
his  duty.  But  he  only  be- 
lieves, who  does  that  thing 
which  other  men  in  the  like 
cases  do  when  they  do  be- 
lieve. He  that  believes 
money  gotten  with  danger 
is  better  than  poverty  with 
sa^fety,  will  venture  for  it  in 
unknown  lands  or  seas ;  and 
so  will  he  that  believes  it 
better  to  get  Heaven  with 
labom-,  than  to  go  to  Hell 
with  pleasure, 

6.  He  that  helieves  does 
not  make  haste  =  /  but  waits 
patiently  till  the  times  of 
refreshment  come,  and  dares 
trust  God  for  the  morrow, 
and  is  no  more  solicitous  for 
the  next  year,  than  he  is  for 
that  which  is  past :  and  it 
is  certain,  that  man  wants 
Faith,  who  dares  be  more 
confident  of  being  supplied 
when  he  hath  money  in  his 


OP  FAITH.  17& 

purse,  than  when  he  hath 
it  only  in  bills  of  exchange 
from  God ;  or  that  relies 
more  upon  his  own  industry 
than  upon  God's  providence, 
when  his  o^wti  industry  fails 
him.  If  you  dare  trust  to 
God  when  the  case  to  hu- 
man reason  seems  impossi- 
ble, and  trust  to  God  then 
also  out  of  choice,  not  be- 
cause you  have  nothing  else 
to  trust  to,  but  because  he 
is  the  only  support  of  a  just 
confidence ;  then  you  give 
a  good  testimony  of  your 
Faith. 

7.  True  Faith  is  confi- 
dent, and  will  venture  all 
the  world  upon  the  strength 
of  its  persuasion.  Will  you 
lay  your  life  on  it,  your  es- 
tate, your  reputation,  that 
the  doctrine  of  JESUS 
CHRIST  is  true  in  every 
Article  1  Then  you  have 
true  Faith.  But  he  that 
fears  men  more  than  God, 
believes  men  more  than  he 
believes  in  God. 

8.  Faith,  if  it  be  true, 
living,  and  justifying,  can- 
not be  separated  from  a 
good  life  :  it  works  mira- 
cles, makes  a  drunkard  be- 
come sober,  a  lascivious  per- 
son become  chaste,  a  cove- 
tous man  become  liberal ; 
it  overcomes  the  wo'dd^;  it 
works  righteousness^;    and 


Isa.  sxriii.  16. 


1  John  V.  4. 


••  Heb.  xi.  33. 


180 


OF  FAITH. 


makes  us  diligently  to  do, 
and  cheerfully  to  suffer, 
whatsoever  God  hath  placed 
in  our  way  to  Heaven. 

The  Means  and  Instruments 
to  obtain  Faith  are, 

1.  An  humble,  willing, 
and  docile  mind,  or  desire 
to  be  instructed  in  the  way 
of  God  :  for  persuasion  en- 
ters like  a  sun-beam,  gently, 
and  without  violence  :  and 
open  but  the  window,  and 
draw  the  curtain,  and  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  will 
enlighten  your  darkness. 

2.  Remove  all  prejudice 
and  love  to  every  thing 
which  may  be  contradicted 
by  Faith.  How  can  ye  be- 
lieve (said  Christ)  that  re- 
ceive praise  one  of  another '? 
An  unchaste  man  cannot 
easily  be  lirought  to  believe 
that  without  purity  he  shall 
never  see  God.  He  that 
loves  riches,  can  hardly  be- 
lieve the  doctrine  of  pover- 
ty and  renunciation  of  the 
world  :  and  Alms  and  Mar- 
tyrdom and  the  doctrine  of 
the  Cross  is  folly  to  him  that 
loves  his  ease  and  pleasures. 
He  that  hath  within  him 
any  principle  contrary  to 
the  doctrines  of  Faith,  can- 
not easily  become  a  Disciple. 

^  John  V.  44.  B  Jam.  i.  5.  ^  Luke  xi.  13. 

'  In  rebus   miris  summa  crwdendi  ratio  est  omnipotentia  Creatoris, 
S.  Aug. 


3.  Prayer,  which  is  in- 
strumental to  every  thing, 
hath  a  particular  promise 
in  this  thing.  He  that  lacks 
wisdom  let  him.  ask  it  of 
God  ^ ;  and  if  you  give  good 
things  to  your  children,  how 
much  more  shall  your  Hea- 
venly Father  give  His  Spirit 
to  them  that  ask  Him^? 

4.  The  consideration  of 
the  Divine  omnipotence  and 
infinite  wisdom,  and  our  own 
ignorance,  are  great  instru- 
ments of  curing  all  doubt- 
ing, and  silencing  the  mur- 
murs of  infidelity  \ 

5.  Avoid  all  curiosity  of 
enquiry  into  particulars  and 
circumstances  aud  myste- 
ries :  for  true  faith  is  full 
of  ingenuity  and  hearty  sim- 
plicity, free  from  suspicion, 
wise  and  confident,  trust- 
ing upon  generals,  without 
watching  and  prying  into 
unnecessary  or  undiscerni- 
ble  particulars.  No  man 
carries  his  bed  into  his  field, 
to  watch  how  his  corn  grows, 
but  believes  upon  the  gene- 
ral order  of  Providence  and 
Nature ;  and  at  Harvest 
finds  himself  not  deceived. 

6.  In  time  of  temptation 
be  not  busy  to  dispute,  but 
rely  upon  the  Conclusion, 
and  throw  your  self  upon 


OF  FAITH. 


181 


God,  and  contend  not  with 
Him  but  in  prayer,  and  in 
the  presence  and  with  the 
help  of  a  prudent  untempt- 
ed  Guide  :  and  be  sure  to 
esteem  all  changes  of  belief 
which  oflfer  themselves  in 
the  time  of  your  greatest 
weakness  (contrary  to  the 
persuasions  of  your  best  un- 
derstanding) to  be  tempta- 
tions, and  reject  them  accor- 
dingly. ^ 

7  It  is  a  prudent  course 
that  in  our  health  and  best 
advantages  we  lay  up  parti- 
cular arguments  and  instru- 
ments of  persuasion  and  con- 
fidence, to  be  brought  forth 
and  used  in  the  great  day 
of  expense  ;  and  that  espe- 
cially, in  such  things  in 
which  we  use  to  be  most 
tempted,  and  in  which  we 
are  least  confident,  and 
which  are  most   necessary, 


and  which  commonly  the 
Devil  uses  to  assualt  us 
withal  in  the  days  of  our 
visitation. 

8.  The  wisdom  of  the 
Church  of  God  is  very 
remarkable  in  appointing 
Festivals,  or  Holy-days, 
whose  Solemnity  and  Offices 
have  no  other  special  busi- 
ness but  to  record  the  Arti- 
cle of  the  day ;  such  as 
Trinity  Sunday,  Ascension, 
Easter,  Christmas-day;  and 
to  those  persons  who  can 
only  believe,  not  prove  or 
dispute,  there  is  no  better 
instrument  to  cause  the 
remembrance  and  plain  no- 
tion, and  to  endear  the  afiec- 
tion  and  hearty  assent  to 
the  Article,  than  the  pro- 
claiming and  recommending 
it  by  the  festivity  and  joy 
of  a  Holy-day. 


Sect.  II. 


OP  THE  HOPE  OF  A  CHKISTIAN. 


Faith  differs  from  Hope 
in  the  extension  of  its  ob- 
ject, and  in  the  intension 
of  degree.  S.  Austin^  thus 
accounts  their  differences. 
Faith  is  of  all  things  reveal- 
ed ;  good  and  bad,  rewards 
and  punishments  ;  of  things 
past,  present,  and  to  come  ; 

k  Ench 


of  things  that  concern  us, 
and  of  things  that  concern 
us  not :  but  Hope  hath  for 
its  object  things  only  that 
are  good  and  fit  to  be  hoped 
for,  future,  and  concerning 
om-selves :  and  because  these 
things  are  offered  to  us  upon 
conditions  of  which  we  may 

irid.  c.  8. 


182 


OF  HOPE. 


SO  fail  as  we  may  change 
our  will,  therefore  our  cer- 
tainty is  less  than  the  ad- 
herences  of  Faith  ;  which 
(because  Faith  relies  only 
upon  one  proposition,  that 
is,  the  truth  of  the  Word 
of  God)  cannot  be  made 
uncertain  in  themselves, 
though  the  object  of  our 
Hope  may  become  uncertain 
to  us,  and  to  our  possession. 
For  it  is  infallibly  certain, 
that  there  is  Heaven  for 
all  the  godly,  and  for  me 
amongst  them  all  if  I  do 
my  duty.  But  that  I  shall 
enter  into  Heaven,  is  the 
object  of  my  Hope,  not  of 
my  Faith  ;  and  is  so  sure,  as 
it  is  certain  I  shall  persevere 
in  the  ways  of  God. 

The  acts  of  Ilope  are  ; 

1.  To  rely  upon  God 
with  a  confident  expecta- 
tion of  His  promises  ;  ever 
esteeming  that  every  pro- 
mise of  God  is  a  magazine 
of  all  that  grace  and  relief 
which  we  can  need  in  that 
instance  for  which  the  pro- 
mise is  made.  Every  degree 
of  Hope  is  a  degree  of  Con- 
fidence. 

2.  To  esteem  all  the  dan- 
ger of  an  action,  and  the 
possibilities  of  miscarriage, 
and  every  cross  accident 
that   can   intervene,  to  be 

'  Rom.  V.  3 :  2  Cor.  vii.  4 


no  defect  on  God's  part,  but 
either  a  mercy  on  His  part, 
or  a  fault  on  ours  :  for  then 
we  shall  be  sure  to  trust  in 
God  when  we  see  Him  to 
be  our  confidence,  and  our- 
selves the  cause  of  all  mis- 
chances. The  hojye  of  a, 
Christian  is  Prudent  and 
religious. 

3.  .To  rejoice  in  the  midst 
of  a  misfortune  or  seeming 
sadness  ;  knowing  that  this 
may  work  for  good,  and  will, 
if  we  be  not  wanting  to  our 
Souls.  This  is  a  direct  act 
of  Hope  ;  to  look  through 
the  cloud,  and  look  for  a 
beam  of  the  light  from  God : 
and  this  is  called  in  Scrip- 
ture, Rejoicing  in  tribida- 
tio7i\  when  the  God  of  Hope 
fills  us  with  all  jog  in  be- 
lieving^. Every  degree  of 
Hope  brings  a  degree  of  Joy. 

4.  To  desire,  to  pray,  and 
to  long  for  the  great  object 
of  our  Hope,  the  mighty 
price  of  our  high  calling ; 
and  to  desire  the  other 
things  of  this  life  as  they 
are  promised ;  that  is,  so 
far  as  they  a.re  made  neces- 
sary and  useful  to  us,  in 
order  to  God's  glory  and  the 
great  end  of  Souls.  Hope 
and  Fasting  are  said  to  be 
the  two  wings  of  Prayer. 
Fasting  is  but  as  the  wing 
of  a  Bird ;  but  Hope  is  like 

«»  Rom.  XV.  13. 


the  wing  of  an  Angel  soar- 
ing up  to  Heaven,  and  bears 
our  prayers  to  the  throne  of 
Grace.  Without  Hope  it  is 
impossible  to  pray :  but 
Hope  makes  our  prayers 
reasonable,  passionate,  and 
religious  ;  for  it  relies  upon 
God's  promise,  or  experi- 
ence, or  providence,  and 
story.  Prayer  is  ahvays  in 
froiwrtion  to  our  Hope  zea- 
lous and  affectionate. 

5.  Perseverance  is  the  per- 
fection of  the  duty  of  Hope, 
and  its  last  act :  and  so  long 
as  our  hope  continues,  so 
long  Ave  go  on  in  duty  and 
diligence  :  but  he  that  is  to 
raise  a  castle  in  an  hour, 
sits  down  and  does  nothing 
towards  it :  and  Herod  the 
sophister  left  off  to  teach 
his  son,  when  he  saw  that 
24  Pages  appointed  to  v^^ait 
on  him,  and  called  by  the 
several  letters  of  the  alpha- 
bet, could  never  make  him 
to  understand  his  letters 
perfectly. 

Rules  to  govern  our  Hope. 
1.  Let  your  Hope  he  mo- 
derate; proportioned  to  your 
state,  person,  and  condition, 
whether  it  be  for  gifts  or 
graces,  or  temporal  favours. 
It  is  an  ambitious  hope  for 
persons  whose  diligence  is 
like  them  that  are  least  in 
the  kinodom  of  Heaven,  to 


OF  HOPE.  183 

believe  themselves  endeared 
to  God  as  the  greatest  Saints, 
or  that  they  shall  have  a 
throne  equal  to  S.  Paul,  or 
the  blessed  Virgin  Mary. 
A  stammerer  cannot  with 
moderation  hope  for  the  gift 
of  tongues  ;  or  a  peasant  to 
become  learned  as  Origen : 
or  if  a  beggar  desires  or 
hopes  to  become  a  king,  or 
asks  for  a  thousand  pound 
a  year,  we  call  him  impu- 
dent ;  not  passionate,  much 
less  reasonable.  Hope  that 
God  will  crown  your  en- 
deavours with  equal  mea- 
sures of  that  reward  which 
He  indeed  freely  gives,  but 
yet  gives  according  to  our 
proportions.  Hope  for  good 
success  according  to,  or  not 
much  beyond,  the  efficacy 
of  the  causes  and  the  in- 
strument :  and  let  the  hus- 
bandman hope  for  a  good 
harvest ;  not  for  a  rich  king- 
dom, or  a  victorious  army. 

2.  Let  your  Hope  he  vjell 
founded,  relying  upon  just 
confidences  ;  that  is,  upon 
God  according  to  His  reve- 
lations and  promises.  For 
it  is  possible  for  a  man  to 
have  a  vain  hope  upon  God : 
and  in  matters  of  Religion 
it  is  presumption  to  hope 
that  God's  mercies  will  be 
poured  forth  upon  lazy  per- 
sons that  do  nothing  to- 
wards holy  and  strict  walk- 


184 


OP  HOPE. 


ing,  nothing  (I  say)  but 
trust  and  long  for  an  event 
besides  and  against  all  dis- 
position of  the  means.  Every 
false  principle  in  Religion 
is  a  reed  of  Egypt,  false  and 
dangerous.  *  Kely  not  in 
temporal  things  upon  un- 
certain prophecies  and  astro- 
logy, not  upon  our  own  wit 
or  industry,  not  upon  gold 
or  friends,  not  upon  armies 
and  princes ;  expect  not 
health  from  physicians  that 
cannot  cure  their  ovra 
breath,  much  less  their  mor- 
tality :  use  all  lawful  in- 
struments, but  expect  no- 
thing from  them  above  their 
natural  or  ordinary  efficacy ; 
and,  in  the  use  of  them,  from 
God  expect  a  blessing.  A 
hope  that  is  easy  and  credu- 
lous, is  an  arm  of  flesh  "^ ;  an 
ill  supporter  without  a  bone. 

3.  Let  your  Hope  be  ivith- 
out  vanity,  or  garishness  of 
spirit ;  but  sober,  grave,  and 
silent;  fixed  in  the  heart, 
not  borne  upon  the  lip  ;  apt 
to  support  our  spirits  with- 
in, but  not  to  provoke  envy 
abroad. 

4.  Let  your  Hope  he  of 
things  possible,  safe,  and  use- 
ful. He  that  hopes  for  an 
opportunity  of  acting  his 
revenge,  or  lust,  or  rapine  ; 
watches  to  do  himself  a  mis- 
chief.  All  evils  of  ourselves 


or  brethren  are  objects  of 
our  fear,  not  hope :  and 
when  it  is  truly  understood, 
things  useless  and  unsafe 
can  no  more  be  wished  for, 
than  things  impossible  can 
be  obtained. 

5.  Let  your  Hope  be  pati- 
ent,  without  tediousness  of 
spirit,  or  hastiness  of  pre- 
fixing time.  Make  no  limits 
or  prescriptions  to  God,  but 
let  your  prayers  and  en- 
deavours go  on  still  with  a 
constant  attendance  on  the 
periods  of  God's  providence. 
The  men  of  Bethulia  re- 
solved to  wait  upon  God  but 
five  days  longer:  but  de- 
liverance stayed  seven  days, 
and  yet  came  at  last".  And 
take  not  every  accident  for 
an  argument  of  despair :  but 
go  on  still  in  hoping  ;  and 
begin  again  to  work,  if  any 
ill  accident  have  interrupt- 
ed you. 

Means  of  Hope,  and  reme- 
dies against  Despair. 

The  means  to  cure  De- 
spair, and  to  continue  or  in- 
crease Hope,  are  partly  by 
consideration,  partly  by  ex- 
ercise. 

1.  Apply  your  mind  to 
the  cure  of  all  the  proper 
causes  of  Despair :  and  they 
are,  weakness  of  Spirit,  or 
violence    of  Passion.      He 


Jer.  xvii.  5. 


Judith  vii.  30;  viii.  15;  xiii.  11. 


that  greedily  covets,  is  im- 
patient of  delay,  and  despe- 
rate in  contrary  accidents ; 
and  he  that  is  little  of  heart, 
is  also  little  of  hope,  and  apt 
to  sorrow  and  suspicion  p. 

2.  Despise  the  things  of 
the  "World,  and  be  indiffe- 
rent to  all  changes  and 
events  of  providence  :  and, 
for  the  things  of  God,  the 
promises  are  certain  to  be 
performed  in  kind ;  and 
where  there  is  less  variety 
of  chance,  there  is  less  pos- 
sibility of  being  mocked  : 
but  he  that  creates  to  him- 
self thousands  of  little  hopes, 
uncertain  in  the  promise, 
fallible  in  the  event,  and 
depending  upon  ten  thou- 
sand circumstances,  (as  are 
all  the  things  of  this  World); 
shall  often  fail  in  his  ex- 
pectations, and  be  used  to 
arguments  of  distrust  in 
such  hopes. 

3.  So  long  as  your  hopes 
are  regular  and  reasonable, 
though  in  temporal  affairs, 
(such  as  are,deliverance  from 
enemies,  escaping  a  storm  or 
shipwreck,  recovery  from  a 
sickness,  ability  to  pay  your 
debts,  &c.)  remember,  that 
there  are  some  things  ordi- 
nary, and  some  things  ex- 
traordinary, to  prevent  De- 
spair,   la  ordinary,  remem- 


3PE.  Ig5 

ber,  that  the  very  hoping  in 
God  is  an  endearment  of 
Him,  and  a  means  to  obtain 
the  blessing,  "/  will  deliver 
him  because  he  hath  put  his 
trust  in  Me  i."  2.  There  are 
in  God  all  those  glorious 
attributes  and  excellencies, 
which  in  the  nature  of  things 
can  possibly  create  or  con- 
firm Hope.  God  is  1 .  Strong, 

2.  Wise,  3.  True,  4.  Loving. 
There  cannot  be  added  ano- 
ther capacity  to  create  a 
confidence  :  for  upon  these 
premisses  we  cannot  fail  of 
receiving  what  is  fit  for  us. 

3.  God  hath  obliged  Himself 
by  promise,  that  we  shall 
have  the  good  of  every  thing 
we  desire :  for  even  losses 
and  denials  shall  loork  for 
the  good  of  them  that  fear 
God".  And  if  we  will  trust 
the  Truth  of  God  for  per- 
formance of  the  general,  we 
may  well  trust  His  Wisdom 
to  choose  for  us  the  particu- 
lar. *  But  the  extraordina- 
ries  of  God  are  apt  to  supply 
the  defect  of  all  natural  and 
human  possibilities.  1.  God 
hath  in  many  instances 
given  extraordinary  virtue 
to  the  active  causes  and  in- 
struments :  to  a  jaw-bone 
to  kill  a  multitude « ;  to  300 
men,  to  destroy^  a  great 
Armyt;    to   Jonathan   and 


q  Ps.  xci.  14. 


Rom.  viii.  28. 


Judg.  XV.  15. 


Judg.  vii. 


186  OF  HOPE. 

his  Armour-bearer,  to  rout 
a  whole  Garrison  i.  2.  He 
hath  given  excellent  suffer- 
ance and  vigorousness  to 
the  sufferers  ;  arming  them 
with  strange  courage,  he- 
roical  fortitude,  invincible 
resolution,  and  glorious 
patience  :  and  thus  He 
lays  no  more  upon  us  than 
Yfe  are  able  to  bear ;  for 
when  He  increases  our  suf- 
ferings, He  lessens  them  by 
increasing  our  patience.  3. 
His  providence  is  extrare- 
gular,  and  produces  strange 
things  beyond  common 
rules :  and  He  that  led 
Israel  through  a  sea,  and 
made  a  rock  pour  forth  wa- 
ters and  the  Heavens  to 
give  them  bread  and  flesh, 
and  whole  armies  to  be 
destroyed  with  phantastic 
noises  X,  and  the  fortune  of 
all  France  to  be  recovered 
and  entirely  revolved  by  the 
arms  and  conduct  of  a  Girl  y 
against  the  torrent  of  the 
English  fortune  and  chi- 
valry ;  can  do  what  He 
please,  and  still  retains  the 
same  affections  to  His  people, 
and  the  same  providence 
over  mankind,  as  ever.  And 
it  is  impossible  for  that  man 
to  despair,  who  remembers 
that  his  helper  is  Omnipo- 
tent, and   can  do  what  He 

■  1  Sam.  xiv. 

y  Joanof  Arc.  A.D.  1429. 


please  z.  Let  us  rest  there 
a  while  ;  He  can  if  He  please  : 
and  He  is  infinitely  loving^ 
willing  enough :  and  He  is 
infinitely  wise ;  choosing 
better  for  us,  than  we  can 
do  for  ourselves.  This  in 
all  ages  and  chances  hath 
supported  the  afflicted  peo- 
ple of  God,  and  carried  them 
on  dry  ground  through  a 
Red  Sea.  God  invites  and 
cherishes  the  hopes  of  men 
by  all  the  variety  of  His 
Providence, 

4.  If  your  case  be  brought 
to  the  last  extremity,  and 
that  you  are  at  the  pit's 
brink,  even  the  very  margin 
of  the  grave,  yet  then  de- 
spair not  :  at  least  put  it  off 
a  little  longer :  and  remem- 
ber, that  whatsoever  final 
accident  takes  away  all  Hope 
from  you,  if  you  stay  a  little 
longer,  and  in  the  mean 
while  bear  it  sweetly,  it  will 
also  take  away  all  Despair 
too.  For  when  you  enter 
into  the  regions  of  death, 
you  rest  from  all  your  la- 
bours and  your  fears. 

5.  Let  them  who  are 
tempted  to  despair  of  their 
salvation,  consider  how 
much  Christ  suffered  to  re- 
deem us  from  sin  and  its 
eternal  punishment  :  and 
he  that  considers  this,  must 

*  2  Kings  vii.  6 ;  xix.  7. 
Ed.  '  Heb.  ii.  18. 


needs  believe  that  the  de- 
sires which  God  had  to  save 
us  were  not  less  than  infi- 
nite, and  therefore  not  easily 
to  be  satisfied  without  it. 

6.  Let  no  man  despair  of 
God's  mercies  to  forgive 
him,  unless  he  be  sure  that 
his  sins  are  greater  than 
God's  mercies.  If  they  be 
not,  we  have  much  reason 
to  hope  that  the  stronger 
ingredient  will  prevail,  so 
long  as  we  are  in  the  time 
and  state  of  repentance,  and 
within  the  possibilities  and 
latitude  of  the  Covenant  ; 
and  as  long  as  any  promise 
can  but  reflect  upon  him 
with  an  oblique  beam  of 
comfort.  Possibly  the  man 
may  err  in  his  judgment  of 
circumstances,  and  there- 
fore let  him  fear:  but  be- 
cause it  is  not  certain  he  is 
mistaken,let  him  not  despair. 

7.  Consider,  that  God, 
who  knows  all  the  events 
of  men  and  what  their  final 
condition  shall  be,  who  shall 
be  saved,  and  who  will 
perish  ;  yet  He  treateth 
them  as  His  own,  calls  them 
to  be  His  own,  ofiers  fair 
conditions  as  to  His  own  ; 
gives  them  blessings,  argu- 
ments of  mercy,  and  in- 
stances of  fear,  to  call  them 
off  from  death,  and  to  call 
them  home  to  life ;  and  in  ' 
^  2  Sam.  xvi.  31  :  xvii.  23 


OF  HOPE.  187 

all  this  shews  no  despair  of 
happiness  to  them  :  and 
therefore  much  less  should 
any  man  despair  for  himself, 
since  he  never  was  able  to 
read  the  scrolls  of  the  eter- 
nal predestination. 

8.  Remember,  that  de- 
spair belongs  only  to  pas- 
sionate fools  or  -sdllains, 
(such  as  were  Achitophel^ 
and  Judas),  or  else  to  devils 
and  damned  persons  :  and, 
as  the  hope  of  salvation  is  a 
good  disposition  towards  it ; 
so  is  Despair  a  certain  con- 
signation to  eternal  ruin. 
A  man  may  be  damned  for 
despairing  to  be  saved.  De- 
spair is  the  proper  passion 
of  damnation.  God  hath 
placed  truth  and  felicity  in 
Heaven;  curiosity  and  re- 
pentance upon  Earth;  hut 
misery  and  despair  are  the 
portions  of  Hell  ^. 

9.  Gather  together  into 
your  spirit  and  its  treasure- 
house  (the  memory),  not 
only  all  the  promises  of 
God,  but  also  the  remem- 
brances of  experience,  and 
the  former  senses  of  the  Di- 
vine favours  ;  that  from 
thence  you  may  argue  from 
times  past  to  the  present, 
and  enlarge  to  the  future 
and  to  greater  blessings. 
For  although  the  conjec- 
tures   and    expectations  of 

"  V.  Beda 


188  OF  HOPE. 

Hope  are  not  like  the  con-  ' 
elusions  of  Faith,  yet  they 
are  a  helmet  against  the 
scorchings  of  Despair  in 
temporal  things,  and  an 
anchor  of  the  Soul  sure  and 
stedfast  against  the  fluctu- 
ations of  the  spirit  in  mat- 
ters of  the  Soul.  S.  Bertiard 
reckons  divers  principles  of 
Hope,  by  enumerating  the 
instances  of  the  Divine  Mer- 
cy ;  and  we  may  by  them 
reduce  this  rule  to  practice 
in  the  following  manner. 
1.  God  hath  preserved  me 
from  many  sins  :  His  mer- 
cies are  infinite  :  I  hope  He 
will  still  preserve  me  from 
more  and  for  ever.  *  2.  I. 
have  sinned,  and  God  smote 
me  not  :  His  mercies  are 
still  over  the  penitent :  I 
hope  He  will  deliver  me 
from  all  the  evils  I  have  de- 
served. He  hath  forgiven 
me  many  sins  of  malice,  and 
therefore  surely  He  will  pity 
my  infirmities.  *  3.  God 
visited  my  heart  and  chang- 
ed it :  He  loves  the  work  of 
His  own  hands,  and  so  my 
heart  is  now  become  :  I 
hope  He  will  love  this  too. 
*4.  When  I  repented,  He 
received  me  graciously  ;  and 
therefore  I  hope,  if  I  do  my 
endeavour,  He  will  totally 
forgive  me.  *  5.  He  helped 
my  slow  and  beginning  en- 

•^  Rom.  viii.  32. 


deavours  ;  and  therefore  I 
hope  He  will  lead  me  to  per- 
fection. *  6.  "When  he  had 
given  me  something  first, 
then  He  gave  me  more  :  I 
hope  therefore  He  will  keep 
me  from  falling,  and  give 
me  the  grace  of  persever- 
ance. *  7.  He  hath  chosen 
me  to  be  a  Disciple  of  Christ's 
institution  ;  He  hath  elected 
me  to  His  Kingdom  of  grace ; 
and  therefore  I  hope  also  to 
the  Kingdom  of  His  glory. 
*  8.  He  died  for  me  when  I 
was  His  enemy ;  and  there- 
fore I  hope  He  will  save  me 
when  He  hath  reconciled 
me  to  Him,  and  is  become 
my  friend.  *  9.  God  hath 
given  us  His  Son ;  how 
shoidd  not  He  loith  Him  give 
us  all  things  else^?  All 
these  S.  Bernxird  reduces  to 
these  three  Heads,  as  the 
instruments  of  all  our  hopes  : 
1.  The  charity  of  (roc?  adopt- 
ing us,  2.  The  truth  of  His 
promises,  3.  The  power  of 
His  performance :  which  if 
any  truly  weighs,  no  infirm- 
ity or  accident  can  break 
His  hopes  into  undiscemible 
fragments,  but  some  good 
planks  will  remain  after  the 
greatest  stonn  and  ship- 
wreck. This  was  Saint 
Favl's  instrument :  Expe- 
rience begets  hope,  and  hope 
maketh  not  ashamed'^. 

d  Rom.  V.  4,  5, 


10.  Do  thou  take  care 
only  of  thy  duty,  of  the 
means  and  proper  instru- 
ments of  thy  purpose,  and 
leave  the  end  to  God :  lay 
that  w^  with  Him,  and  He 
will  take  care  of  all  that  is 
entrusted  to  Him  :  and  this 
being  an  act  of  confidence 
in  God,  is  also  a  means  of 
security  to  thee. 

11.  By  special  arts  of  spi- 
ritual prudence  and  argu- 
ments, secure  the  confident 
belief  of  the  Resurrection, 
and  thou  canst  not  but  hope 
for  every  thing  else  which 
you  may  reasonably  expect, 
or  lawfully  desire,  upon  the 
stock  of  the  Divine  mercies 
and  promises. 


OF  HOPE.  189 

12.  If  a  despair  seizes 
you  in  a  particular  temporal 
instance,  let  it  not  defile 
thy  spirit  with  impure  mix- 
ture, or  mingle  in  spiritual 
considerations  ;  but  rather 
let  it  make  thee  fortify  thy 
Soul  in  matters  of  Religion ; 
that,  by  being  thrown  out 
of  your  earthly  dwelling 
and  confidence,  you  may  re- 
tire into  the  strengths  of 
grace,  and  hope  the  more 
strongly  in  that,  by  how 
much  you  are  the  more  de- 
feated in  this ;  that  despair 
of  a  fortune  or  a  success 
may  become  the  necessity 
of  all  virtue. 


Sect.  III. 


OF  CHARITY,  OR  THE  LOVE  OF  GOD. 


Love  is  the  greatest  thing 
that  God  can  give  us  ;  for 
Himself  is  Love  :  and  it  is 
the  greatest  thing  we  can 
give  to  God  ;  for  it  will  also 
give  ourselves,  and  carry 
with  it  all  that  is  ours.  The 
Apostle  calls  it  the  band  of 
perfection®  ;  it  is  the  Old, 
and  it  is  the  New,  and  it  is 
the  Great  Commandment, 
and  it  is  all  the  Command- 
ments, for  it  is  the  fidfilling 

*  Col.  iii.  14.  *  Matth 


of  the  Law^.  It  does  the 
work  of  all  other  graces, 
without  any  instrument 
but  its  own  immediate  vir- 
tue. For  as  the  love  to  sin 
makes  a  man  sin  against 
all  his  own  Reason,  and 
all  the  discourses  of  wis- 
dom, and  all  the  advices  of 
his  friends,  and  without 
temptation,  and  without 
opportunity  ;  so  does  the 
love   of  God :    it   makes  a 

,  xxii.  37 — 40.     Rom.  xiii.  8. 


190 


OF  CHARITY,  OR 


man  chaste  without  the  la- 
borious arts  of  fasting  and 
exterior  disciplines,  tempe- 
rate in  the  midst  of  feasts, 
and  is  active  enough  to 
choose  it  without  any  in- 
termedial appetites,  and 
reaches  at  Glory  through 
the  very  heart  of  Grace, 
without  any  other  arms  but 
those  of  Love.  It  is  a  grace 
that  loves  God  for  Himself, 
and  our  Neighbours  for  God. 
The  consideration  of  God's 
goodness  and  bounty,  the 
experience  of  those  profita- 
ble and  excellent  emana- 
tions from  Him,  may  be, 
and  most  commonly  are,  the 
first  motive  of  our  Love: 
but  when  we  are  once  en- 
tered, and  have  tasted  the 
goodness  of  God,  we  love  the 
spring  for  its  own  excel- 
lency ;  passing  from  passion 
to  reason,  from  thanking  to 
adoring,  from  sense  to  spirit, 
from  considering  ourselves 
to  an  union  with  God  :  and 
this  is  the  image  and  little 
representation  of  Heaven  ; 
it  is  beatitude  in  picture, 
or  rather  the  infancy  and 
beginnings  of  glory. 

We  need  no  incentives  by 
way  of  special  enumeration 
to  move  us  to  the  love  of 
God ;  for  we  cannot  love 
any  thing  for  any  reason 
real  or  imaginary,  but  that 
excellence  is  infinitely  more 


eminent  in  God.  There  can 
but  two  things  create  Love ; 
Perfection  and  Usefulness  : 
to  which  answer  on  our  part, 
1.  Admiration,  and  2.  De- 
sire ;  and  both  these  are 
centered  in  Love.  For  the 
entertainment  of  the  first, 
there  is  in  God  an  infinite 
nature.  Immensity  or  vast- 
ness  without  extension  or 
limit,  Immutability,  Eter- 
nity, Omnipotence,  Omni- 
science, Holiness,  Dominion, 
Providence,  Bounty,  Mercy, 
Justice,  Perfection  in  Him- 
self, and  the  End  to  which 
all  things  and  all  actions 
must  be  directed,  and  will 
at  last  arrive.  The  consi- 
deration of  which  may  be 
heightened,  if  we  consider 
our  distance  from  all  these 
glories  ;  Our  smallness  and 
limited  nature,  our  nothing, 
our  inconstancy,  our  age 
like  a  span,  our  weakness 
and  ignorance,  our  poverty, 
our  inadvertency  and  incon- 
sideration,  our  disabilities 
and  disafi'ections  to  do  good, 
our  harsh  natures  and  un- 
merciful inclinations,  our 
universal  iniquity,  and  our 
necessities  and  dependen- 
cies, not  only  on  God  origi- 
nally and  essentially,  but 
even  our  need  of  the  mean- 
est of  God's  creatures,  and 
our  being  obnoxious  to  the 
weakest  and  most  contemp- 


THE  LOVE  OF  GOD. 


191 


tible.  'Kvit  for  the  entertain- 
ment of  the  second,  we  may 
consider  that  in  Him  is  a 
torrent  of  pleasure  for  the 
voluptuous,  He  is  the  foun- 
tain of  honour  for  the 
ambitious,  an  inexhaustible 
treasure  for  the  covetous. 
Our  vices  are  in  love  with 
phantastic  pleasures  and 
images  of  perfection,  which 
are  truly  and  really  to  be 
found  no  where  but  in  God. 
And  therefore  our  virtues 
have  such  proper  objects, 
that  it  is  but  reasonable 
they  should  all  turn  into 
Love  :  for  certain  it  is  that 
this  Love  will  turn  all  into 
virtue.  For  in  the  scrutinies 
for  righteousness  and  judg- 
ment. When  it  is  required, 
whether  such  a  person  he  a 
good  man  or  no  ;  the  mean- 
ing is  oiot,  What  does  he  be- 
lieve ?  or  ivhat  does  he  hope  ? 
hut  what  he  lovess. 

The  acts  of  Love  to  God  are, 

1.  Love  does  all  things 
which  may  please  the  be- 
loved person ;  it  performs 
all  his  commandments :  and 
this  is  one  of  the  greatest 
instances  and  arguments  of 
our  love  that  God  requires 
of  us,  "  This  is  Love,  that 
we  keep  His  command- 
ments'^."    Love  is  ohedient. 

s  9.  Aug.,  1.  ii.  Confes.  c.  6.  ' 


2.  It  does  all  the  intima- 
tions and  secret  significa- 
tions of  his  pleasure  whom 
we  love  ;  and  this  is  an  ar- 
gument of  a  great  degree  of 
it.  The  first  instance  is  it, 
that  m.akes  the  love  accept- 
ed :  but  this  gives  a  great- 
ness and  singularity  to  it. 
The  first  is  the  least,  and 
less  than  it  cannot  do  our 
duty :  but  without  this  se- 
cond we  cannot  come  to  per- 
fection. Great  Love  is  also 
plicinl  and  inquisitive  in  the 
instances  of  its  expression. 

3.  Love  gives  away  all 
things,  that  so  he  may  ad- 
vance the  interest  of  the 
beloved  person  :  it  relieves 
all  that  he  would  have  re- 
lieved, and  spends  itself  in 
such  real  significations  as  it 
is  enabled  withal.  He  never 
loved  God,  that  will  quit  any 
thing  of  his  Religion  to  save 
his  money.  Love  is  cdioays 
liheral  and  communicative. 

4.  It  suffers  all  things 
that  are  imposed  by  its  be- 
loved, or  that  can  happen 
for  his  sake,  or  that  inter- 
vene in  his  service,  cheer- 
fully, sweetly,  willingly;  ex- 
pecting that  God  should 
turn  tliem  into  good,  and 
instruments  of  felicity. 
Charity  hopeth  all  things, 
endureth  all  things  I.  Love 
is  patient  and  content  with 

1  John  V.  3.  *  1  Cor.  xiii.  7. 


192 

any  thing,  so  it  be  together 
with  its  beloved. 

5.  Love  is  also  impatient 
of  any  thing  that  may  dis- 
please the  beloved  person ; 
hating  all  sin  as  the  enemy 
of  its  friend  ;  for  love  con- 
tracts all  the  same  relations, 
and  marries  the  same  friend- 
ships and  the  same  hatreds ; 
and  all  affection  to  a  sin  is 
perfectly  inconsistent  with 
the  Love  of  God.  Love  is  not 
divided  between  God  and 
God's  enemy :  we  must  love 
God  with  all  our  heart ; 
that  is,  give  Him  a  whole 
and  undivided  affection, 
having  love  for  nothing  else 
but  such  things  which  He 
allows,  and  which  He  com- 
mands or  loves  Himself. 

6.  Love  endeavours  for 
ever  to  he  present,  to  con- 
verse with,  to  enjoy,  to  be 
united  with,  its  object:  loves 
to  be  talking  of  him,  recit- 
ing his  praises,  telling  his 
stories,  repeating  his  words, 
imitating  his  gestures,  tran- 
scribing his  copy  in  every 
thing  ;  and  every  degree  of 
union  and  every  degree  of 
likeness  is  a  degree  of  love ; 
and  it  can  endure  any  thing 
but  the  displeasure  and  the 
absence  of  its  beloved.  For 
we  are  not  to  use  God  and 
Beligion  as  men  use  per- 
fumes ;  with  which  they  are 
delighted  when  they  have 


OF  CHARITY,  OR 


them,  but  can  very  well  be 
without  them.  True  Cha- 
rity is  restless  till  it  enjoys 
God  in  such  instances  in 
which  it  wants  Him  :  it  is 
like  hunger  and  thirst ;  it 
must  be  fed,  or  it  cannot  be 
answered :  and  nothing  can 
supply  the  presence,  or  make 
recompense  for  the  absence, 
of  God,  or  of  the  efforts  of 
His  favour,  and  the  light  of 
His  countenance. 

7.  True  Love  in  all  acci- 
dents looks  upon  the  beloved 
jierson,  and  observes  his 
countenance,  and  how  he 
approves  or  disapproves  it, 
and  accordingly  looks  sad 
or  cheerful.  He  that  loves 
God,  is  not  displeased  at 
those  accidents  which  God 
chooses,  nor  murmurs  at 
those  changes  which  He 
makes  in  His  family  ;  nor 
envies  at  those  gifts  He  be- 
stows ;  but  chooses  as  He 
likes,  and  is  ruled  by  His 
judgment,  and  is  perfectly 
of  His  persviasion ;  loving 
to  learn  where  God  is  the 
Teacher,  and  being  content 
to  be  ignorant  or  silent 
where  He  is  not  pleased  to 
open  Himself. 

8.  Love  is  curious  of  little 
things,  of  circumstances  and 
measures,  and  little  acci- 
dents ;  not  allowing  to  it- 
self any  infirmity,  which  it 
strives  not  to  master  ;  aim.- 


THE  LOVE  OP  GOD. 


193 


ing  at  what  it  cannot  yet 
reach  ;  desmng  to  be  of  an 
angelical  purity,  and  of  a 
perfect  innocence,  and  a  Se- 
raphical  fervour  ;  and  fears 
every  image  of  offence  :  is 
as  much  afflicted  at  an  idle 
word,  as  some  at  an  act  of 
adultery  ;  and  will  not  al- 
low to  itself  so  much  anger 
as  will  disturb  a  child,  nor 
endure  the  impurity  of  a 
dream.  And  this  is  the  cu- 
riosity and  niceness  of  di- 
vine Love  ;  this  is  the  fear 
of  God.  and  is  the  daughter 
and  production  of  Love. 

The  Measures  and  Rules  of 
Divine  Love. 

But  because  this  passion 
is  pui-e  as  the  brightest  and 
stnoothest  mirror,  and  there- 
fore is  apt  to  be  sullied  with 
every  impurer  breath ;  we 
must  be  careful  that  our 
love  to  God  be  governed  by 
these  measures. 

1.  That  our  Love  be  sweet, 
even,  and  full  of  tranquil- 
lity; having  in  it  no  violences 
or  transportations  ;  but  go- 
ing on  in  a  course  of  holy 
actions,  and  duties  which 
are  proportionable  to  our 
condition  and  present  state  : 
not  to  satisfy  all  the  desire, 
but  all  the  probabilities  and 
measures  of  our  strengvth. 
A  new  beginner  in  Religion 
hath  passionate  and  violent 


desires ;  but  they  must  not 
be  the  measure  of  his  ac- 
tions :  But  he  must  consider 
his  strength,  his  late  sick- 
ness and  state  of  death,  the 
proper  temptations  of  his 
condition,  and  stand  at  first 
upon  his  defence  ;  not  go  to 
storm  a  strong  fort,  or  attack 
a  potent  enemy,  or  do  he- 
roical  actions,  and  fitter  for 
giants  in  Religion.  Indis- 
creet violences  and  untime- 
ly forwardness  are  the  rocks 
of  Religion,  against  which 
tender  spirits  often  suffer 
shipwreck. 

2.  Let  our  Love  be  pru- 
dent and  without  illusion  : 
that  is,  that  it  express  itself 
in  such  instances  which  God 
hath  chosen,  or  which  we 
choose  ourselves  by  propor- 
tion to  His  rules  and  mea- 
sures. Love  turns  into  do- 
ting, when  Religion  turns 
into  Superstition.  No  degree 
of  Love  can  be  imprudent, 
but  the  expressions  may:  we 
cannot  love  God  too  much, 
but  we  may  proclaim  it  in 
indecent  manners. 

3.  Let  our  love  be  firm, 
constant,  and  inseparable  ; 
not  coming  and  returning 
like  the  tide,  but  descending 
like  a  never-failing  river, 
ever  running  into  the  Ocean 
of  Divine  excellency,  pass- 
ing on  in  the  channels  of 
duty  and  a  constant  obedi- 


194 


OF  CHARITY,  OR 


ence,  and  never  ceasing  to 

be  what  it  is,  till  it  comes 
to  what  it  desires  to  be  ; 
still  being  a  river,  till  it  be 
turned  into  sea  and  vastness, 
even  the  immensity  of  a 
blessed  Eternity. 

Although  the  considera- 
tion of  the  Divine  excellen- 
cies and  mercies  be  infinite- 
ly sufiSicient  to  produce  in  us 
love  to  God,  (who  is  invisi- 
ble, and  yet  not  distant  from 
us,  but  we  feel  Him  in  His 
blessings,  He  dwells  in  our 
hearts  by  faith,  we  feed  on 
Him  in  the  Sacrament,  and 
are  made  all  one  with  Him 
in  the  incarnation  and  glo- 
rifications of  Jesus);  yet 
that  we  may  the  better  en- 
kindle and  increase  our  love 
to  God,  the  following  advices 
are  not  useless. 

Helps  to  increase  our  Love 
to  Ood,  hy  way  of  Ex- 
ercise. 

1.  Cut  ofi"  all  earthly  and 
sensual  loves  ;  for  they  pol- 
lute and  unhallow  the  pure 
and  Spiritual  love.  Every 
degree  of  inordinate  afiec- 
tion  to  the  things  of  this 
world,  an-d  every  act  of  love 
to  a  sin,  is  a  perfect  enemy 
to  the  love  of  God  :  and  it 
is  a  great  shame  to  take  any 
part  of  our  affection  from 
the  eternal  God,  to  bestow 


it  upon  His  creature  in  de- 
fiance of  the  Creator  ;  or  to 
give  it  to  the  Devil,  our 
open  enemy,  in  disparage- 
ment of  Him  who  is  the 
fountain  of  all  excellencies 
and  Celestial  amities. 

2.  Lay  fetters  and  re- 
straints upon  the  imagina- 
tive and  phantastic  part; 
because  our  fancy,  being  an 
imperfect  and  higher  facul- 
ty, is  usually  pleased  with 
the  entertainment  of  sha- 
dows and  gauds  :  and,  be- 
cause the  things  of  the  world 
fill  it  with  such  beauties  and 
phantastic  imagery,  the  fan- 
cy presents  such  objects  as 
amiable  to  the  affections 
and  elective  powers.  Per- 
sons of  fancy,  such  as  are 
women  and  children,  have 
always  the  most  violent 
loves  :  but  therefore,  if  we 
be  careful  with  what  repre- 
sentments  we  fill  our  fancy, 
we  may  the  sooner  rectify 
our  loves.  To  this  purpose, 
it  is  good  that  we  transplant 
the  instruments  of  fancy 
into  Religion  :  and  for  this 
reason  music  was  brought 
into  Churches,  and  orna- 
ments, and  perfumes,  and 
comely  garments,  and  solem- 
nities, and  decent  ceremo- 
nies ;  that  the  busy  and  less 
discerning  fancy,  being  brib- 
ed with  its  proper  objects, 
may  be  instrumental  to  a 


THE  LOVE  OF  GOP. 


more  Celestial  and  Spiritual 
love. 

5.  Remove  solicitude  or 
worldly  cares,  and  multi- 
tudes of  secular  businesses  : 
for  if  these  take  rip  the  in- 
tention and  actual  applica- 
tion of  our  thoughts  and 
our  employments,  they  will 
also  possess  our  passions  ; 
which,  if  they  be  filled  with 
one  object,  though  ignoble, 
cannot  attend  another, 
though  more  excellent.  We 
always  contract  a  friendship 
and  relation  with  those  with 
whom  we  converse :  our 
very  Country  is  dear  to  us 
for  our  being  in  it ;  and  the 
neighbours  of  the  same  vil- 
lage, and  those  that  buy 
and  sell  with  us,  have  seized 
upon  some  portions  of  our 
love :  and  therefore,  if  we 
dwell  in  the  aflairs  of  the 
World,  we  shall  also  grow 
in  love  with  them  ;  and  all 
our  love  or  all  our  hatred, 
all  our  hopes  or  all  our 
fears,  which  the  eternal  God 
would  willingly  secure  to 
Uimself,  and  esteem  amongst 
His  treasures  and  precious 
things,  shall  be  spent  upon 
trifles  and  vanities. 

4.  Do  not  only  choose  the 
things  of  God,  but  secure 
youi'  inclinations  and  apt- 
nesses for  God  and  for  Re- 
ligion. For  it  will  be  a  hard 

t  2  Kinsrs 


195 

thing  for  a  man  to  do  such  a 
personal  violence  to  his  first 
desires,  as  to  choose  whatso- 
ever he  hath  no  mind  to.  A 
man  will  many  times  satisfy 
the  importunity  and  daily 
solicitations  of  his  first  long- 
ings :  and  therefore  there  is 
nothing  can  secure  our  loves 
to  God,  but  stopping  the 
natural  fountains,  and  mak- 
ing Religion  to  grow  near 
the  first  desires  of  the  Soul. 

5.  Converse  with  God  by 
frequent  prayer.  In  parti- 
cular, desire  that  your  de- 
sires may  be  right,  and  love 
to  have  your  afiections  re- 
gular and  holy.  To  which 
I)urpose,  make  very  frequent 
addresses  to  God  by  ejacu- 
lations and  communions, 
and  an  assiduous  daily  devo- 
tion :  discover  to  Him  all 
your  wants,  complain  to 
Him  of  all  your  affronts  ; 
do  as  Hezekiah  did,  lay 
your  misfortunes  and  your 
ill  news  before  Him,  spread 
them  before  the  Lord^ ;  call 
to  Him  for  health,  run  to 
Him  for  counsel,  beg  of  Him 
for  pardon  :  and  it  is  as 
natural  toloveHimto  whom 
Ave  make  such  addresses, 
and  of  whom  we  have  such 
dependences,  as  it  is  for 
children  to  love  their  pa- 
rents. 

6.  Consider  the  immen- 

xix.  14. 

2 


196 


OF  CHARITT,  OR 


sity  and  vastness  of  the  Di- 
vine Love  to  us,  expressed 
in  all  the  emanations  of  His 
Providence  ;  \.  In  His  Cre- 
ation, 2.  Li  His  Conserva- 
tion of  us.  For  it  is  not  my 
Prince,  or  my  patron,  or  my 
friend,  that  supports  mc,  or 
relieves  my  needs  ;  but  God, 
vrho  made  the  corn  that  my 
friend  sends  me  ;  who  cre- 
ated the  Grapes,  and  sup- 
ported him  who  hath  as 
many  dependences,  and  as 
many  natural  necessities, 
and  as  perfect  disabilities, 
as  myself.  God  indeed  made 
him  the  instrument  of  His 
providence  to  me,  as  He 
hath  made  his  own  land  or 
his  own  cattle  to  him  :  with 
this  only  difference ;  that 
God  by  his  ministration  to 
me  intends  to  do  him  a  fa- 
vour a,nd  a  reward,  which  to 
natural  instruments  He  does 
not,     3.  In  giving  His  Son, 

4.  In  forgiving   our  si^is, 

5.  In  adopting  us  to  glory  ; 
and  ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand  little  accidents 
and  instances  happening  in 
the  doing  every  of  these : 
and  it  is  not  possible  but  for 
so  great  love  we  should  give 
love  again ;  for  God,  we 
should  give  Man  ;  for  feli- 
city, we  should  part  with 
our  misery.  Nay,  so  great 
is  the  love  of  the  holy  Jesus, 
God    incarnate,    that    He 


would  leave  all  His  trium- 
phant glories,  and  die  once 
more  for  Man,  if  it  were 
necessary  for  procuring  feli- 
city to  him. 

In  the  use  of  these  instru- 
ments Love  will  grow  in 
several  knots  and  steps,  like 
the  sugar-canes  of  India, 
according  to  a  thousand  va- 
rieties in  the  person  loving ; 
and  it  will  be  great  or  less 
in  several  persons ;  and  in 
the  same,  according  to  his 
growth  in  Christianity.  But, 
in  general  discoursing,  there 
are  but  two  states  of  Love  ; 
and  those  are,  Labour  of 
love,  and  the  Zeal  of  love  : 
the  first  is  duty,  the  second 
is  perfection. 

The  two  states  ofLoveto  God. 

The  least  love  that  is, 
must  be  obedient,  pure,  sim- 
l^le,  and  communicative : 
that  is,  it  must  exclude  all 
affection  to  sin,  and  all  in- 
ordinate affection  to  the 
world ;  and  must  be  ex- 
pressive, according  to  our 
power,  in  the  instances  of 
duty  ;  and  must  be  love  for 
love's  sake  :  and  of  this  love 
Martyrdom  is  the  highest 
instance ;  that  is,  a  readi- 
ness of  mind  rather  to  suffer 
any  evil  than  to  do  any.  Of 
this  our  blessed  Saviour 
affirmed,  That  no  man  had 


THE  LOVE  OF  GOD. 


197 


-greater  love  than  this^ :  that 
is,  this  is  the  highest  point 
of  duty,  the  greatest  love 
that  God  requires  of  Man. 
And  yet  he  that  is  the  most 
imperfect,  must  have  this 
love  also  in  preparation  of 
mind  ;  and  must  differ  from 
another  in  nothing,  except 
in  the  degrees  of  promptness 
and  alacrity.  And  in  this 
sense,  he  that  loves  God 
truly,  (though  but  with  a 
beginning  and  tender  love,) 
yet  he  loves  God  with  all 
his  heart ;  that  is,  with  that 
degree  of  love  which  is  the 
highest  point  of  duty,  and 
of  God's  charge  upon  us  ; 
and  he  that  loves  God  with 
all  his  heart,  may  yet  in- 
crease with  the  increase  of 
God :  just  as  there  are  de- 
grees of  love  to  God  among 
the  Saints,  and  yet  each  of 
them  love  Him  with  all 
their  powers  and  capacities. 
2.  But  the  greater  state 
of  love  is  the  zeal  of  love ; 
which  runs  out  into  excre- 
scences and  suckers,  like  a 
fruitful  and  pleasant  tree, 
or  bursting  into  gums,  and 
producing  fruits,  not  of  a 
monstrous,  but  of  an  extra- 
ordinary and  heroical  great- 
ness. Concerning  which 
these  cautions  are  to  be 
observed. 

John  XV.  13. 
n  1  Kings  XIX.  9—15, 


Cautions    and    Rules  con- 
cerning Zeal. 

1.  If  Zeal  be  in  the  be- 
ginnings of  our  spiritual 
birth,  or  be  short,  sudden, 
and  transient""  ;  or  be  a 
consequent  of  a  man's  na- 
tural temper  ;  or  come  upon 
any  cause  but  after  a  long 
growth  of  a  temperate  and 
well-regulated  love ;  it  is  to 
be  suspected  for  passion  and 
frowardness,  rather  than  the 
vertical  point  of  love. 

2.  That  Zeal  only  is  good, 
which  in  a  fervent  love  hath 
temperate  expressions.  For 
let  the  affection  boil  as  high 
as  it  can,  yet  if  it  boil  over 
into  irregular  and  strange 
actions,  it  will  have  Mufew, 
but  ivill  need  many  excuses. 
Elijah  was  zealous  for  the 
Lord  of  Hosts  ;  and  yet  he 
was  so  transported  with  it, 
that  he  could  not  receive 
answer  from  God,  till  by 
music  he  was  recomposed 
and  tamed":  and  Moses 
broke  both  the  Tables  of 
the  Law  by  being  passion- 
ately zealous  against  them 
that  brake  the  first  °. 

3.  Zeal  must  spend  its 
g-reatest  heat  principally  in 
those  things  that  concern 
ourselves  ;    but  with  great 

»  Gal.  ivr.  18. 

°  Exod.  xxxii.  19. 


198  OP  CHARITY,  OR 

care  and  restraint  in  those 
that  concern  others. 

4.  Remember,  that  Zeal, 
being  an  excrescence  of  Di- 
vine Love,  must  in  no  sense 
contradict  any  action  of 
Love.  Love  to  God  includes 
Love  to  our  Neighbour  ; 
and  therefore  no  pretence 
of  zeal  for  God's  glory  must 
make  us  uncharitable  to  our 
brother?  ;  for  that  is  just  so 
pleasing  to  God,  as  hatred 
is  an  act  of  Love. 

5,  That  zeal  that  concerns 
others,  can  spend  itself  in 
nothing  but  arts  and  actions 
and  charitable  instruments 
for  their  good  :  and  when  it 
concerns  the  good  of  many 
that  one  should  suffer,  it 
must  be  done  by  persons  of 
a  competent  authority,  and 
in  great  necessity,  in  seldom 
instances,  according  to  the 
Law  of  God  or  Man  ;  but 
never  by  private  right,  or 
for  trifling  accidents,  or  in 
mistaken  propositions.  The 
Zelots  in  the  Old  Law  had 
authority  to  transfix  and 
stab  some  certain  persons  : 
but  God  gave  them  warrant ; 
it  was  in  the  case  of  Idola- 
try q,  or  such  notorious  huge 
crimes  %  the  danger  of  which 
was  insupportable,  and  the 
cognizance  of  which  was 
infallible :     and    yet    that 


warrant   expired   with  the 
Synagogue. 

6.  Zeal  in  the  instances 
of  our  own  duty  and  per- 
sonal deportment  is  more 
safe  than  in  matters  of 
counsel,  and  actions  besides 
our  just  duty,  and  tending 
towards  perfection.  Though 
in  these  instances  there  is 
not  a  direct  sin,  even  where 
the  zeal  is  less  wary,  yet 
there  is  much  trouble  and 
some  danger  :  (as  if  it  be 
spent  in  the  too-forward 
vows  of  Chastity,  and  re- 
straints of  natural  and  in- 
nocent liberties.) 

7.  Zeal  may  be  let  loose 
in  the  instances  of  internal, 
personal,  and  spiritual  ac- 
tions, that  are  matters  of 
direct  duty  ;  as  in  prayers, 
and  acts  of  adoration,  and 
thanksgiving,  and  frequent 
addresses :  provided  that  no 
indirect  act  pass  upon  them 
to  defile  them ;  such  as 
complacency,  and  opinions 
of  sanctity,  censuring  others, 
scruples  and  opinions  of  ne- 
cessity, unnecessary  fears, 
superstitious  numberings  of 
times  and  hours  :  but  let 
the  zeal  be  as  forward  as  it 
will,  as  devout  as  it  will,  as 
Seraphical  as  it  will,  in  the 
direct  address  and  inter- 
course with  God,  there  is  no 


Phil.  iii.  6;   1  Tim.  i.  13. 
'  Numb.  XXV.  7 — 11 


1  Dent.  xiii. 
XXXV.  19,  27. 


THE  LOVE  OF  GOD. 


199 


danger,  no  transgression. 
Do  all  the  parts  of  your 
duty  as  earnestly  as  if  the 
salvation  of  all  the  world, 
and  the  whole  glory  of  God, 
and  the  confusion  of  all 
Devils,  and  all  that  you 
hope  or  desire,  did  depend 
upon  every  one  action. 

8.  Let  Zeal  be  seated  in 
the  will  and  choice,  and  re- 
gulated with  prudence  and 
a  sober  understandings,  not 
in  the  fancies  and  alFoctions  ; 
for  these  will  make  it  full  of 
noise  and  empty  of  profit, 
but  that  will  make  it  deep 
and  smooth,  material  and 
devout. 

The  sum  is  this :  that  Zeal  is 
not  a  direct  duty,  no  where 
commanded  for  itself ;  and 
is  nothing  but  a  forward- 
ness and  circumstance  of 
another  duty ' :  and  there- 
fore is  then  only  acceptable, 
when  it  advances  the  Love 
of  God  and  our  Neighbours, 
whose  circumstance  it  is. 
That  Zeal  is  only  safe,  only 
acceptable,  which  increases 
Charity  directly :  and  be- 
cause love  to  our  Neighbour 
and  obedience  to  God  are 
the  two  great  portions  of 
charity,  we  must  never  ac- 
count our  Zeal  to  be  good, 
but  as  it  advances  both 
these,  if  it  be  in  a  matter 
that    relates   to    both ;    or 


severally,  if  it  relates  seve- 
rally. S.  raid's  Zeal  was 
expressed  in  preaching  with- 
out any  oiferings  or  stipend, 
in  travelling,  in  spending 
and  being  spent  for  his 
tlock,  in  suiiering,  in  being 
willing  to  be  accursed  for 
love  of  the  people  of  God 
and  his  countrymen.  Let 
our  Zeal  be  as  great  as  his 
was,  so  it  be  in  attections  to 
others,  but  not  at  all  in 
angers  against  them :  In  the 
first  there  is  no  danger  ;  in 
the  second  there  is  no  safety. 
In  brief,  let  yovir  Zeal  (if  it 
must  be  expressed  in  anger) 
be  always  more  severe  a- 
gainst  thyself  than  against 
others  ". 

*I  The  other  part  of  Love  to 
God  is  Love  to  our  Neigh- 
bour, for  which  I  have 
reserved  the  Paragraph  of 
Ainu. 

Of  the  external  actioiis  of 
Religion. 
Religion  teaches  us  to 
present  to  God  our  bodies 
as  well  as  our  Souls  ;  for 
God  is  the  Lord  of  both : 
and  if  the  body  serves  the 
Soul  in  actions  natural  and 
civil  and  intellectual,  it 
must  not  be  eased  in  the 
only  offices  of  Religion,  un- 
less the  body  shall  expect 


»  Rom.  X.  2.         «  Tit.  ii.  14 ;  Rev.  iii.  15,  16.         »  2  Cor.  vii.  11. 


200 


OF  READING  AND  HEARING 


no  portion  of  the  rewards  of 
Religion,  such  as  are  resur- 
rection, re-union,  and  glori- 
fication. Our  bodies  are  to 
God  a  living  sacrifice  :  and 
to  present  them  to  God  is 
Jioly  andj  acceptable^. 

The  actions  of  the  body, 
as  it  serves  to  Religion,  and 
as  it  is  distinguished  from 
Sobriety  and  Justice,  either 


relate  to  the  Word  of  God, 
or  to  Prayer,  or  to  Repen- 
tance ;  and  make  these 
kinds  of  external  actions  of 
Religion :  1.  Reading  and 
hearing  the  Word  of  God  ; 
2.  Fasting  and  corporal  aus- 
terities, called  by  S.  Paid, 
bodily  exercise^ ;  3.  Feast- 
ing, or  keeping  days  of  pub- 
lic joy  and  thanksgiving. 


Sect.  IV. 


OF  READING  OR  HEARING  THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 


Reading  and  Hearing  the 
Word  of  God  are  but  the 
several  circumstances  of  the 
same  duty  ;  instrumental 
especially  to  Faith,  but  con- 
sequently to  all  other  graces 
of  the  Spirit.  It  is  all  one 
to  us  whether  by  the  eye  or 
by  the  ear  the  Spirit  con- 
veys His  precepts  to  us.  If 
we  hear  Saint  Paid  saying 
to  us,  that  "  Whoi-emongers 
and  Adulterers  God  will 
jiidge  ^,"  or  read  it  in  one  of 
his  Epistles  ;  in  either  of 
them  we  are  equally  and 
sufficiently  instructed.    The 


are  many  that  cannot  read 
the  Word,  and  they  must 
take  it  in  by  the  ear  ;  and 
they  that  can  read,  find  the 
same  Word  of  God  by  the 
eye.  It  is  necessary  that 
all  men  learn  it  in  some  way 
or  other,  and  it  is  sufficient 
in  order  to  their  practice 
that  they  learn  it  any  way. 
The  Word  of  God  is  all  those 
Commandments  and  Reve- 
lations, those  promises  and 
threatenings,  the  stories  and 
sermons  recorded  in  the  Bi- 
ble :  nothing  else  is  the 
Word  of  God,  that  we  know 


Scriptures  read  are  the  same    of  by  any  certain  instrument, 
thing  to  us  which  the  same  j  The  good  books  Pvud  spiri- 


doctrine  was  when  it  was 
preached  by  the  Disciples  of 
our  blessed  Lord  ;  and  we 
are  to  learn  of  either  with 
the  same  dispositions.  There 


tual  discourses,  the  sermons 
or  Homilies  written  or 
spoken  by  men,  are  but  the 
Word  of  men,  or  rather  ex- 
plications of,  and  eshorta- 


*  Eom.  xii.  1.        y  1  Tim.  iv.  8,  margiual  reading.        ^  Heb.  xiii. 


THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 


201 


tions  according  to,  the  Word 
of  God  :  but  of  themselves 
they  are  not  the  Word  of 
God.  In  a  sermon,  the  text 
only  is  in  a  proper  sense  to 
be  called  God's  word  :  and 
yet  good  sermons  are  of 
great  use  and  convenience 
for  the  advantages  of  Reli- 
gion. He  that  preaches  an 
hour  together  against  drunk- 
enness with  the  tongue  of 
men  or  Angels,  hath  spoke 
no  other  word  of  God  but 
this,  "  Be  not  drunk  with 
^viiie  wherein  there  is  ex- 
cess^:'''' and  he  that  writes 
that  Sermon  in  a  book,  and 
publishes  that  book,  hath 
preached  to  all  that  read  it 
a  louder  sermon  than  could 
be  spoken  in  a  Church, 
This  I  say  to  this  purpose, 
that  we  may  separate  truth 
from  error,  popular  opinions 
from  substantial  truths  : 
For  God  preaches  to  us  in 
the  Scripture,  and  by  His 
secret  assistances  and  spiri- 
tual thoughts  and  holy  mo- 
tions :  Good  men  preach  to 
us,  when  they  by  popular 
arguments  and  human  arts 
and  compliances  expound 
and  press  any  of  those  doc- 
trines which  God  hath 
preached  unto  us  in  His 
holy  Word.     But 


1.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  cer- 
tainly the  best  preacher  in 
the  world,  and  the  words  of 
Scripture  the  best  Sermons. 

2.  All  the  doctrine  of  Sal- 
vation is  plainly  set  down 
there,  that  the  most  unlearn- 
ed person  by  hearing  it  read 
may  understand  all  his  duty. 
What  can  be  plainer  spoken 
than  this,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
kill  '^."  "  Be  not  drunk  with 
wine  <^."  "  Husbands  love 
you  Wives  <i,"  "  Whatsoever 
ye  ivould  that  men  shoidd  do 
to  you^  do  ye  so  to  them  ^  2  " 
The  wit  of  man  cannot  more 
plainly  tells  us  our  duty,  or 
more  fully,  than  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  done  already. 

3.  Good  sermons  and  good 
books  are  of  excellent  use  : 
but  yet  they  can  serve  no 
other  end,  but  that  we  prac- 
tise the  plain  doctrines  of 
Scripture. 

4.  What  Abraham  in  the 
parable  said  concerning  the 
brethren  of  the  rich  man', 
is  here  very  proper  :  They 
have  Moses  and  the  Prophets, 
let  them  hear  them :  But  if 
they  refuse  to  hear  these,  Tiei- 
ther  will  they  believe  though 
one  should  arise  from  the 
dead  to  preach  unto  them. 

5.  Reading  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures is    a   duty   expressly 


Eph.  V.  18. 
Eph.  V.  25. 


*>  Matth.v.21. 
*  Matth.  vii.  12. 

k3 


c  Eph.  V.  18. 

f  Luke  xvi.  29,  31. 


202 


or  READING  AND  HEARING 


commanded  uss,  and  is  called 
in  Scripture  "Preaching^:"''' 
all  other  preaching  is  the 
effect  of  human  skill  and  in- 
dustry ;  and  although  of 
great  benefit,  yet  it  is  but 
an  Ecclesiastical  ordinance ; 
the  law  of  God  concerning 
Preaching  being  expressed 
in  the  matter  of  reading  the 
Scriptures,  and  hearing  that 
Word  of  God,  which  is,  and 
as  it  is,  there  described. 

But  this  duty  is  reduced 
to  practice  in  the  following 
Rules. 

Mules  for  Hearing  or  Head- 
ing the  Word  of  God. 

1.  Set  apart  some  portion 
of  thy  time,  according  to 
the  opportunities  of  thy  cal- 
ling and  necessary  employ- 
ment, for  the  reading  of 
Holy  Scripture  ;  and,  if  it  be 
possible,  every  day  read  or 
hear  some  of  it  read  :  you 
are  sure  that  Book  teaches 
all  truth,  commands  all  holi- 
ness, and  promises  all  happi- 
ness. 

2.  When  it  is  in  your 
power  to  choose,  accustom 
yourself  to  such  portions, 
which  are  most  plain  and 
certain  duty,  and  which  con- 
tain the  story  of  the  Life  and 
Death  of  our  Blessed  Saviour. 
Read  the  Gospels,  the  Psalms 

e  Dent.  xxxi.  13;    Luke  xxiv.  45;    Matt.  xxii.  29;  Rev.  i.  3;    2  Tim. 
iii.  16.  "  Acts  XT.  21. 


of  David ;  and  especially 
those  portions  of  Scripture 
which  by  the  wisdom  of  the 
Church  are  appointed  to  be 
publicly  read  upon  Sun- 
days and  Holydays  ;  viz.  the 
Epistles  and  Gospels.  In  the 
choice  of  any  other  portions 
you  may  advise  with  a  Spiri- 
tual guide,  that  you  may 
spend  your  time  with  most 
profit. 

3.  Fail  not  diligently  to 
attend  to  the  reading  of 
Holy  Scriptures  upon  those 
days  wherein  it  is  most  pub- 
licly and  solemnly  read  in 
Churches :  for  at  such  times, 
besides  the  learning  our  du- 
ty, we  obtain  a  blessing  along 
with  it  ;  it  becoming  to  us 
upon  those  days  a  part  of  the 
solemn  Divine  worship. 

4.  When  the  Word  of  God 
is  read  or  preached  to  you, 
be  sure  you  be  of  a  ready 
heart  and  mind,  free  from 
worldly  cares  and  thoughts, 
diligent  to  hear,  careful  to 
mark,  studious  to  remember, 
and  desirous  to  practise,  all 
that  is  commanded  ;  and  to 
live  according  to  it :  Do  not 
hear  for  any  other  end  but  to 
become  better  in  your  life, 
and  to  be  instructed  in 
every  good  work,  and  to  in- 
crease in  the  love  and  ser- 
vice of  God. 


THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 


5.  Beg  of  God  by  prayer, 
that  He  would  give  you  the 
spu'it  of  obedience  and  pro- 
fit, and  that  He  would  by 
His  Spirit  write  the  Word 
in  your  heart,  and  that  you 
describe  it  in  your  life.  To 
which  purpose  serve  your- 
self of  some  affectionate  eja- 
culations to  that  purpose, 
before  and  after  this  duty. 

Coiicerning  spiritual  Books 
and  ordinary  Sermons, 
take  in  these  advices  also. 

6.  Let  not  a  prejudice  to 
any  man's  person  hinder 
thee  from  receiving  good  by 
his  doctrine,  if  it  be  accord- 
ing to  godliness :  but  (if 
occasion  offer  it,  or  especially 
if  duty  present  it  to  thee, 
that  is,  if  it  be  preached  in 
that  assembly  where  thou 
art  bound  to  be  present,) 
accept  the  word  preached 
as  a  message  from  God,  and 
the  Minister  as  His  Angel 
in  that  ministration. 

7.  Consider  and  remark 
the  doctrine  that  is  repre- 
sented to  thee  in  any  dis- 
course ;  and  if  the  preacher 
adds  accidental  advantages, 
any  thing  to  comply  with 
thy  weakness,  or  to  put  thy 
spirit  into  action,  or  holy 
resolution,  remember  it,  and 
make  use  of  it.  But  if  the 
Preacher  be  a  weak  person, 
yet  the  Text  is  the  doctrine 


203 

thou  art  to  remember :  that 
contains  all  thy  duty  ;  it  is 
worth  thy  attendance  to 
hear  that  spoken  often,  and 
renewed  upon  thy  thoughts  : 
and  though  thou  beest  a 
learned  man,  yet  the  same 
thing  which  thou  knowest 
already,  if  spoken  by  an- 
other, may  be  made  active 
by  that  application.  I  can 
better  be  comforted  by  my 
own  consideration,  if  an- 
other hand  applies  them, 
than  if  I  do  it  myself ;  be- 
cause the  Word  of  God  does 
not  work  as  a  natural  agent, 
but  as  a  Divine  instrument : 
it  does  not  prevail  by  the 
force  of  deduction  and  arti- 
ficial discoursings  only,  but 
chiefly  by  way  of  blessing 
in  the  ordinance,  and  in  the 
ministry  of  an  appointed 
person.  At  least  obey  the 
public  order,  and  reverence 
the  constitution,  and  give 
good  example  of  humility, 
charity,  and  obedience. 

8.  When  Scriptures  are 
read,  you  are  only  to  en- 
quire with  diligence  and 
modesty  into  the  meaning 
of  the  Spirit  :  but  if  Homi- 
lies or  Sermons  be  made 
upon  the  words  of  Scrip- 
ture, you  are  to  consider 
whether  all  that  be  spoken 
be  conformable  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. For  although  you  may 
practise  for  human  reasons, 


204 


OF  FASTING. 


and  human  arguments  min- 
istered from  the  Preacher's 
art ;  yet  you  must  practise 
nothing  but  the  command 
of  God,  nothing  but  the  Doc- 
trine of  Scriptiire,  that  is, 
the  Text. 

9.  Use  the  advice  of  some 
spiritual  or  other  prudent 
man  for  the  choice  of  such 
spiritual  books  which  may 
be  of  use  and  benefit  for  the 
edification  of  thy  spirit  in 


the  ways  of  holy  living  ; 
and  esteem  that  time  well 
accounted  for,  that  is  pru- 
dently and  afiectionately 
employed  in  hearing  or  read- 
ing good  books  and  pious 
discourses  ;  ever  remember- 
ing, that  God  by  hearing  us 
speak  to  Him  in  prayer,  ob- 
liges us  to  hear  Him  speak 
to  us  in  His  Word,  by  what 
instrument  soever  it  be  con- 
veyed. 


Sect.  V. 


OF  FASTING. 


Fasting,   if  it   be  consi-  j 
dered  in  itself,  without  re- 
lation to  spiritual  ends,  is  a  , 
duty  no  where  enjoined  or  , 
counselled.      But    Christi- ; 
anity  hath  to  do  with  it,  as 
it  may  be  made  an  instru-  ' 
ment  of  the  Spirit,  by  sub-  ' 
duing  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
or  removing  any  hindrances 
of  Religion.     And  it  hath 
been  practised  by  all  ages 
of  the  Church,  and  advised 
in  order  to  three  ministeries, 
1.  to  Prayer,  2.  to  Mortifi- 
cation of  bodily  lusts,  3.  to 
Repentance  :  and  it  is  to  be 
practised  according  to  the  I 
following  measures. 


Rules  for  Christian  Fasting 
1.  Fasting,   in   order   to 

'  Acts  ii.  15. 


Prayer,  is  to  be  measured 
by  the  proportions  of  the 
times  of  prayer  :  that  is,  it 
ought  to  be  a  total  fast  from 
all  things  during  the  solem- 
nity ;  (unless  a  probable 
necessity  intervene.)  Thus 
the  Jews  ate  nothing  upon 
the  Sabbath-days  till  their 
great  offices  were  perform- 
ed, that  is,  about  the  sixth 
hour :  and  S.  Pder  used  it 
as  an  argument  that  the 
Apostles  in  Pentecost  were 
not  drunk  ;  because  it  was 
but  the  third  hour  of  the 
day  i ;  of  such  a  day  in 
which  it  was  not  lawful  to 
eat  or  drink  till  the  sixth 
hour  :  and  the  Jews  were 
ofiended  at  the  disciples  for 
plucking  the  ears  of  com  on 


OF  FASTING. 


205 


the  Sabbath  k  early  in  the 
morning,  because  it  was  be- 
fore the  time  in  which  by 
their  customs  they  esteemed 
it  lawful  to  break  their  fast. 
In  imitation  of  this  custom, 
and  in  prosecution  of  the 
reason  of  it,  the  Christian 
Church  hath  religiously  ob- 
served fasting  before  the 
Holy  Communion  ;  and  the 
more  devout  persons  (though 
without  any  obligation  at 
all)  refused  to  eat  or  drink 
till  they  had  finished  their 
morning  devotions  :  and 
further  yet  upon  days  of 
public  humiliation,  which 
are  designed  to  be  spent 
wholly  in  devotion,  and  for 
the  averting  God's  judg- 
ments (if  they  were  immin- 
ent), fasting  is  commanded 
together  with  prayer  ;  com- 
manded (I  say)  by  the 
Church  to  this  end ;  that  the 
sph'it  might  be  clearer  and 
more  Angelical,  when  it  is 
quitted  in  some  proportions 
from  the  loads  of  flesh, 

2.  Fasting,  when  it  is  in 
order  to  Prayer,  must  be  a 
total  abstinence  from  all 
meat,  or  else  an  abatement 
of  the  quantity :  for  the 
help  which  fasting  does  to 
prayer,  cannot  be  served  by 
changing  flesh  into  fish,  or 
milk-meats  into  dry  diet ; 

''  Matth.  xii.  1. 

"■  Jejunium  sine  eleemosyna. 


but  by  turning  much  into 
little,  or  little  into  none  at 
all,  during  the  time  of  so- 
lemn and  extraordinary 
prayer. 

3.  Fasting,  as  it  is  in- 
struinental  to  Prayer,  must 
be  attended  with  other  aids 
of  the  like  virtue  and  effi- 
cacy ;  such  as  are,  remov- 
ing for  the  time  all  worldly 
cares  and  secularbusinesses; 
and  therefore  our  blessed 
Saviour  enfolds  these  parts 
within  the  same  caution  ; 
Take  heed,  lest  your  hearts 
he  overcharged  with  sur- 
feiting, aiid  drunkenness, 
and  the  cares  of  this  ivorld, 
and  that  day  overtake  you 
unawares"^.  To  which  add 
ahns^ ;  for  upon  the  wings 
of  fasting  and  alms  holy 
prayer  infallibly  mounts  up 
to  Heaven. 

4.  When  Fasting  is  in- 
tended to  serve  the  duty  of 
Repentance,  it  is  then  best 
chosen,  when  it  is  short, 
sharp,  and  afflictive  ;  that 
is,  either  a  total  abstinence 
from  all  nourishment  (ac- 
cording as  we  shall  appoint, 
or  be  appointed)  during 
such  a  time  as  is  separate 
for  the  solemnity  and  at- 
tendance upon  the  employ- 
ment ;  or,  if  we  shall  extend 
our  severity  beyond  the  so- 

'  Luke  xxi.  34. 
lampas  sine  oleo.  S.  Aug. 


206 


OF  FASTING. 


lemn  days,  and  keep  our 
anger  against  our  sin,  as 
we  are  to  keep  our  sorrow, 
that  is,  always  in  readiness, 
and  often  to  be  called  upon ; 
then,  to  refuse  a  pleasant 
morsel,  to  abstain  from  the 
bread  of  our  desires,  and 
only  to  take  wholesome  and 
less-pleasing  nourishment, 
vexing  our  appetite  by  the 
refusing  a  lawful  satisfac- 
tion, since  in  its  petulancy 
and  luxury  it  preyed  upon 
an  unlawful. 

5.  Fasting,  designed  for 
repeTitance,  must  be  ever 
joined  with  an  extreme  care 
that  we  fast  from  sin :  for 
there  is  no  greater  folly  or 
indecency  in  the  world,  than 
to  commit  that  for  which  I 
am  now  judging  and  con- 
demning myself.  This  is 
the  best  Fast ;  and  the 
other  may  serve  to  promote 
the  interest  of  this,  by  in- 
creasing the  disaffection  to 
it,  and  multiplying  argu-  ! 
ments  against  it.  [ 

6.  He  that  fasts  for  re-  \ 
pentance,  must,  during  that  j 
solemnity,  abstain  from  all 
bodily  delights,  and  the  sen-  j 
suality  of  all  his  senses  and 
his  appetites :  for  a  man  must 
not,  when  he  mourns  in  his 
Fast,  be  merry  in  his  sport : 
weep  at  dinner,  and  laugh 
all  day  after ;  have  a  silence 
in  his  kitchen,  and  music  in 


his  chamber ;  judge  the 
stomach,  and  feast  the  other 
senses.  I  deny  not  but  a 
man  may  in  a  single  in- 
stance punish  a  particular 
sin  with  a  proper  instru- 
ment. If  a  man  have  of- 
fended in  his  palate,  he  may 
choose  to  fast  only ;  if  he 
have  sinned  in  softness  and 
in  his  touch,  he  may  choose 
to  lie  hard,  or  work  hard, 
and  use  sharp  inflictions : 
but  although  this  Discipline 
be  proper  and  particular  ; 
yet,  because  the  sorrow  is 
of  the  whole  man,  no  sense 
must  rejoice,  or  be  with  any 
study  or  purpose  feasted 
and  entertained  softly.  This 
rule  is  intended  to  relate  to 
the  solemn  days  appointed 
for  Repentance  publicly  or 
privately :  besides  which,  in 
the  whole  course  of  our  life, 
even  the  midst  of  our  most 
festival  and  freer  joys,  we 
may  sprinkle  some  single 
instances  and  acts  of  self- 
condemning,  or  punishing  ; 
as  to  refuse  a  pleasant  mor- 
sel or  a  delicious  draught 
with  a  tacit  remembrance 
of  the  sin  that  now  returns 
to  displease  my  spirit.  And 
though  these  actions  be  sin- 
gle, there  is  no  indecency 
in  them ;  because  a  man 
may  abate  of  his  ordinary 
liberty  and  bold  freedom 
with  great  prudence,  so  he 


does  it  without  singularity 
in  himself,  or  trouble  to 
others ;  but  he  may  not 
abate  of  his  solemn  sorrow : 
that  may  be  caution;  but 
this  would  be  softness,  effe- 
minacy, and  indecency. 

7.  When  fasting  is  an  act 
of  mortification^  that  is,  is 
intended  to  subdue  a  bodily 
lust,  as  the  spirit  of  forni- 
cation, or  the  fondness  of 
strong  and  impatient  appe- 
tites ;  it  must  not  be  a  sud- 
den, sharp,  and  violent  Fast, 
but  a  state  of  fasting^  a  diet 
of  fasting,  a  daily  lessening 
our  portion  of  meat  and 
drink,  and  a  choosing  such 
a  coarse  diet  which  may 
make  the  least  preparation 
for  the  lusts  of  the  body. 
He  that  fasts  three  days 
without  food,  will  weaken 
other  ppa'ts  more  than  the 
ministers  of  fornication : 
and  when  the  meals  return 
as  usually,  they  also  will  be 
served  as  soon  as  any.  In 
the  mean  time  they  will  be 
supplied  and  made  active 
by  the  accidental  heat  that 
comes  with  such  violent 
fastings  :  for  this  is  a  kind 
of  aerial  Devil  ;  the  Prince 
that  rules  in  the  air  is  the 
Devil  of  fornication ;  and 
he  will  be  as  tempting  with 
the  windiness  of  a  violent 
fast,  as  with  the  flesh  of  an 

^  See  chap,  ii, 


OP  FASTING.  207 

ordinary  meal.  But  a  daily 
substraction  of  the  nourish- 
ment will  introduce  a  less 
busy  habit  of  body,  and  that 
will  prove  the  more  effectual 
remedy. 

8.  Fasting  alone  will  not 
cure  this  Devil,  though  it 
helps  much  towards  it " ; 
but  it  must  not  therefore 
be  neglected,  but  assisted 
by  all  the  proper  instru- 
ments of  remedy  against 
this  unclean  spirit ;  and 
what  it  is  unable  to  do 
alone,  in  company  with 
other  instruments,  and  God's 
blessing  upon  them,  it  may 
effect. 

9.  All  fasting,  for  what- 
soever end  it  be  undertaken, 
must  be  done  without  any 
opinion  of  the  necessity  of 
the  thing  itself,  without  cen- 
suring others,  with  all  hu- 
mility, in  order  to  the  pro- 
per end  ;  and  just  as  a  man 
takes  physic  ;  of  which  no 
man  hath  reason  to  be 
proud,  and  no  man  thinks 
it  necessary,  but  because  he 
is  in  sickness,  or  in  danger 
and  disposition  to  it. 

10.  All  Fasts,  ordaine'd 
by  lawful  authority,  are  to 
be  observed  in  order  to  the 
same  purposes  to  which  they 
are  enjoined  ;  and  to  be 
accompanied  with  actions 
of  the  same  nature,  just  as 

Sect.  2  and  3. 


208 


OF  FASTING. 


it  is  in  private  fasts  :  for 
there  is  no  other  difference, 
but  that  in  public  our  Su- 
periors choose  for  us,  what 
in  private  we  do  for  our- 
selves. 

11.  Fasts,  ordained  by 
lawful  authority,  are  not  to 
be  neglected,  because  alone 
they  cannot  do  the  thing  in 
order  to  which  they  were 
enjoined.  It  may  be,  one 
day  of  humiliation  will  not 
obtain  the  blessing,  or  alone 
kill  the  lust ;  yet  it  must 
not  be  despised,  if  it  can  do 
any  thing  towards  it.  An 
act  of  Fasting  is  an  act  of 
self  denial  ;  and  though  it 
do  not  produce  the  habit, 
yet  it  is  a  good  act. 

12.  When  the  principal 
end,  why  a  Fast  is  publicly 
prescribed,  is  obtained  by 
some  other  instrument  in  a 
particular  person  ;  as  if  the 
spirit  of  Fornication  be  cur- 
ed by  the  right  of  marriage, 
or  by  a  gift  of  chastity ; 
yet  that  person  so  eased  is 
not  freed  from  the  Fasts  of 
the  Church  by  that  alone,  if 
those  fasts  can  prudently 
serve  any  other  end  of  Reli- 
gion, as  that  of  prayer,  or 
repentance,  or  mortification 
of  some  other  appetite  :  for 
when  it  is  instrumental  to 
any  end  of  the  Spirit,  it  is 
freed  from  superstition ;  and 
then  we  must  have  some 


other  reason  to  quit  us  from 
the  obligation,  or  that  alone 
will  not  do  it. 

13.  When  the  Fast,  pub- 
licly commanded,  by  reason 
of  some  indisposition  in  the 
particular  person  cannot 
operate  to  the  end  of  the 
Commandment ;  yet  the 
avoiding  offence,  and  the 
complying  with  public  or- 
der, is  reason  enough  to 
make  the  obedience  to  be 
necessary.  For  he  that  is 
otherwise  disobliged,  (as 
when  the  reason  of  the  Law 
ceases  as  to  his  particular  ; 
yet)  remains  still  obliged,  if 
he  cannot  do  otherwise  with- 
out scandal  ;  but  this  is  an 
obligation  of  charity,  not  of 
justice. 

14.  All  fasting  is  to  be 
used  with  prudence  and 
charity  :  for  there  is  no  end 
to  which  fasting  serves,  but 
may  be  obtained  by  other 
instruments  :  and  therefore 
it  must  at  no  hand  be  made 
an  instrument  of  scruple,  or 
become  an  enemy  to  our 
health,  or  be  imposed  upon 
persons  that  are  sick  or 
aged,  or  to  whom  it  is  in 
any  sense  uncharitable,  such 
as  are  wearied  travellers  ; 
or  to  whom  in  the  whole 
kind  of  it  it  is  useless,  such  as 
are  women  with  child,  poor 
people,  and  little  children. 
But    in    these    cases    the 


or  FASTING. 


209 


Church  hath  made  provi- 
sioDj  and  inserted  caution 
into  her  Laws ;  and  they 
are  to  be  reduced  to  prac- 
tice according  to  custom, 
and  the  sentence  of  prudent 
persons,  with  great  latitude, 
and  without  niceness  and 
curiosity:  having  this  in 
our  first  care,  that  we  secure 
our  virtue ;  and  next,  that 
we  secure  our  health,  that 
we  may  the  better  exercise 
the  labours  of  virtue  ;  lest 
out  of  too  much  austerity 
we  bring  ourselves  to  that 
condition  o,  that  it  be  neces- 
sary to  be  indulgent  to  soft- 
ness, ease,  and  extreme  ten- 
derness. 

15.  Let  not  intemperance 
be  the  prologue  or  the  epi- 
logue to  your  Fast ;  lest  the 
Fast  be  so  far  from  taking 
off  any  thing  of  the  sin,  that 
it  be  an  occasion  to  increase 
it :  and  therefore,  when  the 
Fast  is  done,  be  careful  that 
no  supervening  act  of  glut- 
tony or  excessive  drinking 
unhallow  the  religion  of  the 
passed  day  ;  but  eat  tem- 
perately, according  to  the 
proportion  of  other  meals  ; 
lest  gluttony  keep  either  of 
the  gates  to  abstinence. 


T/ie  lenefits  of  Fasting. 

He  that  undertakes  to 
enumerate  the  benefits  of 
Fasting,  may  in  the  next 
page  also  reckon  all  the 
benefits  of  physic :  for  Fast- 
ing is  not  to  be  commanded 
as  a  duty,  but  as  an  instru- 
ment ;  and  in  that  sense  no 
man  can  reprove  it,  or  un- 
dervalue it,  but  he  that 
knows  neither  spiritual  arts, 
nor  spiritual  necessities.  But 
by  the  doctors  of  the  Church 
it  is  called  the  nourishment 
of  prayer,  the  restraint  of 
lust,  the  wings  of  the  Soul, 
the  diet  of  Angels,  the  in- 
strument of  humility  and 
self-denial,  the  purification 
of  the  Spirit :  and  the  pale- 
ness and  meagreness  of  vi- 
sage which  is  consequent  to 
the  daily  Fast  of  great  mor- 
tifiers,  is  by  Saint  Basil  said 
to  be  the  mark  in  the  fore- 
head which  the  Angel  ob- 
served, when  he  signed  the 
Saints  in  the  forehead  to 
escape  the  wrath  of  God. 
"  The  soul  that  is  greatly 
vexed,  which  goeth  stooping 
andfeeUe,  and  the  eyes  that 
fail,  and  the  hungry  soul, 
shall  give  Thee  'praise  and 
righteousness,  0  Lord'^^'' 


°  S.  Basil.  Monast.  Constit.  cap.  5.  Cassian.  col.  21.  cap.  22.    Ne  per 
causam  necessitatis  eo  impingamus,  ut  voluptatibus  serviamns. 
P  Baruch  ii.  18. 


210 


OF  KEEPINa  THE  LORD's  DAY,  &C. 


Sect.  VI. 

Of  Jceeping  Festivals,  and  days  holy  to  the  Lord :  'par- 
ticularly, the  Lord's  day"^. 


True  natural  Religion, 
that  which  was  common  to 
all  nations  and  ages,  did 
principally  rely  upon  four 
great  propositions  :  1.  That 
there  is  one  God ;  2.  That 
God  is  nothing  of  those 
things  which  we  see  ;  3. 
That  God  takes  care  of  all 
things  below,  and  governs 
all  the  world  ;  4.  That  He 
is  the  great  Creator  of  all 
things  without  Himself  : 
and  according  to  these  were 
framed  the  four  first  pre- 
cepts of  the  Decalogue.  In 
the  first,  the  Unity  of  the 
Godhead  is  expressly  affirm- 
ed. In  the  second.  His  in- 
visibility and  immateriality. 
In  the  third  is  affirmed 
God's  government  and  pro- 
vidence, by  avenging  them 
that  swear  falsely  by  His 
Name  ;  by  which  also  His 
Omniscience  is  declared.  In 
the  fourth  Commandment 
He  proclaims  Himself  the 
Maker  of  Heaven  and  Earth : 
for  in  memory  of  God's  rest 
from  the  work  of  six  days, 
the  seventh  was  hallowed 
into  a  Sabbath ;  and  the 
keeping  it  was  a  confessing 
■J  Rev.  i.  10. 


God  to  be  the  great  Maker 
of  Heaven  and  Earth  ;  and 
consequently  to  this,  it  also 
was  a  confession  of  His  good- 
ness, His  omnipotence,  and 
His  wisdom  ;  all  which  were 
written  with  a  sun-beam  in 
the  great  book  of  the  Crea- 
ture. 

So  long  as  the  Law  of  the 
Sabbath  was  bound  upon 
God's  people,  so  long  God 
would  have  that  to  be  the 
solemn  manner  of  confess- 
ing these  attributes ;  but 
when,  the  Priesthood  heing 
changed,  there  was  a  change 
also  of  the  Law'',  the  great 
duty  remained  unalterable 
in  changed  circumstances. 
We  are  eternally  bound  to 
confess  God  Almighty  to  be 
the  Maker  of  Heaven  and 
Earth ;  but  the  manner  of 
confessing  it  is  changed 
from  a  rest  or  a  doing  no- 
thing to  a  speaking  some- 
thing ;  from  a  day  to  a  sym- 
bol ;  from  a  ceremony  to  a 
substance;  from  a  Jewish 
rite  to  a  Christian  duty  : 
we  profess  it  in  our  Creed, 
we  confess  it  in  our  lives, 
we  describe  it  by  every  line 

"  Heb.vii.  12. 


OF  KEEPING  THE  LORd's  DAT,  &C. 


211 


of  our  life,  by  every  action 
of  duty,  by  faith,  and  trust, 
and  obedience :  and  we  do 
also  upon  great  reason  com- 
ply with  the  Jewish  manner 
of  confessing  the  Creation, 
so  far  as  it  is  instrumental 
to  a  real  duty.  We  keep 
one  day  in  seven,  and  so 
confess  the  manner  and  cir- 
cumstance of  the  Creation ; 
and  we  rest  also,  that  we 
may  tend  holy  duties  :  so 
imitating  God's  rest  better 
than  the  Jew  in  Syiiesms, 
who  lay  upon  his  face  from 
evening  to  evening,  and 
could  not  by  stripes  or 
wounds  be  raised  up  to 
steer  the  ship  in  a  great 
storm.  God's  rest  was  not 
a  natural  cessation ;  He 
who  could  not  labour,  could 
not  be  said  to  rest :  bat 
God's  rest  is  to  be  under- 
stood to  be  a  beholding  and  a 
rejoicing  in  His  work  finish- 
ed :  and  therefore  we  truly 
represent  God's  rest,  when 
we  confess  and  rejoice  in 
God's  Works  and  God's 
glory. 

This  the  Chi'istian  Chuixh 
does  upon  every  day  ;  but 
especially  upon  the  Lord's 
day,  which  she  hath  set 
apart  for  this  and  all  other 
offices  of  Religion,  being 
detennined  to  this  day  by 
the  resurrection  of  her  dear- 
est Lord,  it  being  the  first 


day  of  joy  the  Church  ever 
had.  And  now  upon  the 
Lord's  day  we  are  not  tied 
to  the  rest  of  the  Sabbath, 
but  to  all  the  work  of  the 
Sabbath  :  and  we  are  to  ab- 
stain from  bodily  labour, 
not  because  it  is  a  direct 
duty  to  us  as  it  was  to  the 
Jews  ;  but  because  it  is 
necessary  in  order  to  our 
duty,  that  we  attend  to  the 
offices  of  Religion. 

The  observation  of  the 
Lord's  day  differs  nothing 
from  the  observation  of  the 
Sabbath  in  the  matter  of 
Religion,  but  in  the  riianner. 
They  differ  in  the  ceremony 
and  extermil  rite  :  rest  with 
them  was  the  principal ; 
with  us  it  is  the  accessory. 
They  differ  in  the  office  or 
forms  of  worship  :  for  they 
were  then  to  worship  God 
as  a  Creator  and  a  gentle 
Father ;  we  are  to  add  to 
that.  Our  Redeemer,  and  all 
His  other  excellencies  and 
mercies.  And  though  we  have 
more  natural  and  proper 
reason  to  keep  the  Lord's 
day  than  the  Sabbath,  yet 
the  Jews  had  a  divine  Com- 
mandment for  their  day, 
which  we  have  not  for  ours  : 
but  we  have  many  Com- 
mandments to  do  all  that 
honour  to  God  which  was 
intended  in  the  fourth  Com- 
mandment ;  and  the  Apo- 


212 


OF  KEEPING  THE  LORD's  DAY,  &C. 


sties  appointed  the  first  day 
of  the  week  for  doing  it  in 
solemn  assemblies  ^  And 
the  manner  of  worshipping 
God,  and  doing  Him  solemn 
honour  and  service  upon 
this  day,  we  may  best  ob- 
serve in  the  following  mea- 
sures. 

Rides  for  keeping  the  Lord's 
day  and  other  Christian 
Festivals. 

1.  When  you  go  about  to 
distinguish  Festival  days 
from  common,  do  it  not  by 
lessening  the  devotions  of 
ordinary  days,  that  the  com- 
mon devotion  may  seem 
bigger  upon  Festivals  ;  but 
on  every  day  keep  your 
ordinary  devotions  entire, 
and  enlarge  upon  the  Holy- 
day. 

2.  Upon  the  Lords  day 
we  must  abstain  from  all 
servile  and  laborious  works, 
except  such  which  are  mat- 
ters of  oiecessiti/,  of  common 
life,  or  of  great  charity  : 
for  these  are  permitted  by 
that  authority  which  hath 
separated  the  day  for  holy 
uses.  The  Sabbath  of  the 
Jews,  though  consisting 
principally  in  rest,  and 
established  by  God,  did 
yield  to  these.     The  kihour 

»  John  XX.  19,  26 ;  Acts  i,  1,  41 ; 
'  Numb,  xxviii.  9;  Mattli.  xii.  5, 
"  John  V.  9. 


of  Love  and  the  labours  of 
Keligion  were  not  against 
the  reason  and  the  spirit 
of  the  Commandment,  for 
which  the  letter  was  de- 
creed, and  to  which  it  ought 
to  minister.  And  therefore 
much  more  is  it  so  on  the 
Lord's  day,  where  the  letter 
is  wholly  turned  into  Spirit, 
and  there  is  no  Command- 
ment of  God  but  of  spiritual 
and  holy  actions.  The 
Priests  might  kill  their 
beasts  and  dress  them  for 
sacrifice*;  and  Christ, though 
born  under  the  Law,  might 
heal  a  sick  man";  and  the 
sick  man  might  carry  his 
bed  to  witness  his  recovery  ", 
and  confess  the  mercy,  and 
leap  and  dance  to  God  for 
joy ;  and  an  ox  might  be 
led  to  water,  and  an  ass  be 
haled  out  of  a  ditch  ^  ;  and 
a  man  may  take  physic,  and 
he  may  eat  meat,  and  there- 
fore there  were  of  necessity 
some  to  prepare  and  minis- 
ter it :  and  the  performing 
these  labours  did  not  consist 
in  minutes  and  just  de- 
termining stages,  but  they 
had,  even  then,  a  reasonable 
latitude ;  so  only  as  to  ex- 
clude unnecessary  labour, 
or  such  as  did  not  minister 
to  Charity  or  Religion.  And 

XX.  7;  1  Cor.  xvi.  2. 

"  Matth.  xii.  12;  John  v.  17. 
*  Luke  xiii.  15,  16;  xiv.  5,  6. 


OF  KEEPIXG  THE  LORD's  DAT,  &C. 


213 


therefore  this  is  to  be  en- 
larged in  the  Gospel,  whose 
Sabbath  or  rest  is  but  a  cir- 
cumstance, and  accessory  to 
the  principal  and  spiritual 
duties.  Upon  the  Christian 
Sabbath  necessity  is  to  be 
served  first,  then  Charity, 
and  then  Religion ;  for  this 
is  to  give  place  to  Charity 
in  great  instances,  and  the 
second  to  the  first  in  all ; 
and  in  all  cases  God  is  to  he 
u-orshipped  in  spirit  and  in 
truthy. 

3.  The  Lord's  day,  being 
the  remembrance  of  a  great 
blessing,  must  be  a  day  of 
joy,  festivity,  spiritua,!  re- 
joicing, and  thanksgiving : 
and  therefore  it  is  a  proper 
work  of  the  day  to  let  your 
devotions  spend  themselves 
in  singing  or  reading 
Psalms,  in  recounting  the 
great  works  of  God,  in  re- 
membering His  mercies,  in 
worshipping  His  excellen- 
cies, in  celebrating  His  attri- 
butes, in  admiring  His  per- 
son, in  sending  portions  of 
pleasant  meat  to  them  for 
whom  nothing  is  provided ; 
and  in  all  the  arts  and  in-^ 
struments  of  advancin  Ji 
God's  glory  and  the  reputa- 
tion of  Religion  :  in  which 
it  were  a  great  decency  that 
a  memorial  of  the  resurrec- 
tion should  be  inserted,  that 


the  particular  Religion  of 
the  day  be  not  swallowed 
up  in  the  general.  And  of 
this  we  may  the  more  easily 
serve  ourselves  by  rising 
seasonably  in  the  morning 
to  private  devotion,  and  by 
retiring  at  the  leisures  and 
spaces  of  the  day  not  em- 
ployed in  public  offices. 

4.  Fail  not  to  be  present 
at  the  public  hours  and 
places  of  prayer  ;  entering 
early  and  cheerfully,  attend- 
ing reverently  and  devoutly, 
abiding  patiently  during  the 
whole  office,  piously  assist- 
ing at  the  prayers,  and 
gladly  also  hearing  the  Ser- 
mon :  and  at  no  hand  omit- 
ting to  receive  the  holy 
Communion  when  it  is  offer- 
ed, (unless  some  gTeat  rea- 
son excuse  it ;)  this  being 
the  great  solemnity  of 
thanksgiving,  and  a  proper 
work  of  the  day. 

5.  After  the  solemnities 
are  past,  and  in  the  inter- 
vals between  the  morning 
and  evening  devotion,  (as  you 
shall  find  opportunity,)  visit 
sick  persons,  reconcile  differ- 
.ences,  do  offices  of  neigh- 
bourhood, inquire  into  the 
needs  of  the  poor,  especially 
house-keepers  ;  relieve  them 
as  they  shall  need  and  as 
you  are  able  :  for  then  we 
truly  rejoice  in  God,  when 


?  John  iv.  23. 


214 


OP  KEEPING  THE  LORD's  DAY,  &C. 


we  make  our  neighbours, 
the  poor  members  of  Christ, 
rejoice  together  with  us. 

6.  Whatsoever  you  are 
to  do  yourself  as  necessary, 
you  are  to  take  care  that 
others  also,  who  are  under 
your  charge,  do  in  their 
station  and  manner.  Let 
your  servants  be  called  to 
Church,  and  all  your  family 
that  can  be  spared  from 
necessary  and  great  house- 
hold ministeries  :  those  that 
cannot,  let  them  go  by  turns, 
and  be  supplied  otherwise 
as  well  as  they  may  :  and 
provide  on  these  days  espe- 
cially that  they  be  instruct- 
ed in  the  articles  of  Faith 
and  necessary  parts  of  their 
duty. 

7.  Those  who  labour  hard 
in  the  week,  must  be  eased 
upon  the  Lord's  day ;  such 
ease  being  a  great  charity 
and  alms :  but  at  no  hand 
must  they  be  permitted  to 
use  any  unlawful  games,  any 
thing  forbidden  by  the  laws, 
any  thing  that  is  scanda- 
lous, or  any  thing  that  is 
dangerous  and  apt  to  min 
gle  sin  with  it ;  no  gan;ie? 
prompting  to  wantonness, 
to  drunkenness,  to  quarrel- 
ling, to  ridiculous  and  su- 
perstitious customs ;  but  let 
their  refreshments  be  inno- 
cent, and  charitable,  and  of 
good  report,  and  not  exclu- 


sive of  the  duties  of  Reli- 
gion. 

8.  Beyond  these  bounds, 
because  neither  God  nor 
Man  hath  passed  any  obli- 
gation upon  us,  we  must 
preserve  our  Christian  liber- 
ty ^  and  not  suffer  ourselves 
to  he  entangled  with  a  yoJce 
of  bondage  ^:  for  even  a  good 
action  may  become  a  snare 
to  us,  if  we  make  it  an  occa- 
sion of  scruple  by  a  pre- 
tence of  necessity,  binding 
loads  upon  the  conscience 
not  with  the  bands  of  God, 
but  of  men ;  and  of  fancy, 
or  of  opinion,  or  of  tyranny. 
Whatsoever  is  laid  upon  us 
by  the  hands  of  Man,  must 
be  acted  and  accounted  of 
by  the  measures  of  a  man : 
but  our  best  measure  is  this  ; 
He  keeps  the  Lord's  day 
best,  that  keeps  it  with  most 
Religion  and  with  most 
Charity. 

9.  What  the  Church  hath 
done  in  the  article  of  the 
resurrection,  she  hath  in 
some  measure  done  in  the 
other  articles  of  the  Nativity, 
of  the  Ascension,  and  of  the 

?.^J)escent  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
;,  iBkt  Pentecost  :  and  so  great 
blessings  deserve  an  anni- 
versary solemnity ;  since  he 
is  a  very  unthankful  person 
that  does  not  often  record 
them  in  the  whole  year,  and 
esteem  them  the  ground  of 


»  Gal.v.  1. 


OP  KEEPING  THE  LORD's  DAY,  &C. 


his  hopes,  the  object  of  his 
faith,  the  comfort  of  his 
troubles,  and  the  great  ef- 
fluxes of  the  Divine  mercy, 
greater  than  all  the  victo- 
ries over  our  temporal  ene- 
mies, for  which  all  glad  per- 
sons usually  give  thanks. 
And  if  with  great  reason 
the  memory  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion does  return  solemnly 
every  week,  it  is  but  reason 
the  other  should  return 
once  a  year.  *  To  which  I 
add,  that  the  commemora- 
tion of  the  articles  of  our 
Creed  in  solemn  days  and 
offices  is  a  very  excellent 
instrument  to  convey  and 
imprint  the  sense  and  me- 
mory of  it  upon  the  spirits 
of  the  most  ignorant  person. 
For  as  a  picture  may  with 
more  fancy  convey  a  story 
to  a  man,  than  a  plain  nar- 
rative either  in  word  or 
writing  ;  so  a  real  repre- 
sentment,  and  an  office  of 
remembrance,  and  a  day  to 
declare  it,  is  far  more  im- 
pressive than  a  picture,  or 
any  other  art  of  making 
and  fixing  imagery. 

The  mixed  actio'iis  of  Region  are,\.  Prayer,  2.  Alms, 
3.  Repentance,  4.  Receiving  the  blessed  Sacrament. 


215 

10.  The  memories  of  the 
Saints  are  precious  to  God, 
and  therefore  they  ought 
also  to  be  so  to  us ;  and 
such  persons  who  serve  God 
by  holy  living,  industrious 
preaching,  and  religious 
dying,  ought  to  have  their 
names  preserved  in  honour, 
and  God  be  glorified  in  them, 
and  their  holy  doctrines  and 
lives  published  and  imitat- 
ed :  and  we  by  so  doing 
give  testimony  to  the  article 
of  The  Communion  of 
Saints.  But  in  these  cases, 
as  every  Church  is  to  be 
sparing  in  the  number  of 
days,  so  also  should  she  be 
temperate  in  her  injunc- 
tions ;  not  imposing  them 
but  upon  voluntary  and  un- 
busied  persons,  without  snare 
or  burden.  But  the  Holy- 
day  is  best  kept  by  giving 
God  thanks  for  the  excel- 
lent persons,  Apostles  or 
Martyrs,  we  then  remem- 
ber ;  and  by  imitating  their 
lives:  this  all  may  do  :  and 
they  that  can  also  keep  the 
solemnity,  must  do  that  too, 
when  it  is  publicly  enjoined. 


216 


OF  PRATER. 


Sect.  VII. 


OF  PRAYER. 


There  is  no  greater  argu- 
ment in  the  world  of  our 
spiritual  danger  and  un- 
willingness to  religion,  than 
the  backwardness  which 
most  men  have  always,  and 
all  men  have  sometimes,  to 
say  their  prayers  ;  so  weary 
of  their  length,  so  glad  when 
they  are  done,  so  witty  to 
excuse  and  frustrate  an  op- 
portunity :  and  yet  all  is 
nothing  but  a  desiring  of 
God  to  give  us  the  greatest 
and  the  best  things  we  can 
need,  and  which  can  make 
us  happy  :  it  is  a  work  so 
easy,  so  honourable,  and  to 
so  great  purpose,  that  in  all 
the  instances  of  Religion 
and  Providence  (except  only 
the  Incarnation  of  His  Son) 
God  hath  not  given  us  a 
greater  argument  of  His 
willingness  to  have  us  sa,ved, 
and  of  our  unwillingness  to 
accept  it.  His  goodness  and 
our  gracelessness.  His  infi- 
nite condescension  and  our 
carelessness  and  folly,  than 
by  rewarding  so  easy  a  duty 
with  so  great  blessings. 

Motives  to  Prayer. 

I  cannot  say  any  thing 
beyond  this  very  considera- 


I  tion  and  its  appendages,  to 
invite   Christian   people  to 

'  pray  often.  But  we  may 
consider,  that  1.  It  is  a  duty 
commanded  by  God  and  His 
Holy  Son.  It  is  an  act  of 
grace  and  highest  honour, 
that  we  dust  and  ashes  are 
admitted  to  speak  to  the 
eternal  God,  to  run  to  Him 
as  to  a  Father,  to  lay  open 
our  wants,  to  complain  of 
our  burdens,  to  explicate 
our  scruples,  to  beg  remedy 
and  ease,  support  and  coun- 
sel, health  and  safety,  deli- 
verance and  salvation.  And 
3.  God  hath  invited  us  to  it 
by  many  gracious  promises 
of  hearing  us.  4.  He  hath 
appointed  His  most  glori- 
ous Son  to  be  the  Precedent 
of  Prayer,  and  to  make  con- 
tinual intercession  for  us  to 
the  throne  of  Grace.  5.  He 
hath  appointed  an  Angel  to 
present  the  Prayers  of  His 
servants.  And  6.  Christ 
unites  them  to  His  own,  and 
sanctifies  them,  and  makes 
them  affective  and  preva- 
lent :  and  7.  Hath  put  it  in- 
to the  hands  of  men  to  re- 
scind or  alter  all  the  decrees 
of  God  which  are  of  one  kind 
(that  is,  conditional,  and  con- 


cerning  ourselves  and  our 
final  estate,  and  many  in- 
stances of  our  intermedial 
or  temporal),  by  the  power 
of  prayers.  8.  And  the 
Prayers  of  men  have  saved 
cities  and  kingdoms  from 
ruin :  Prayer  hath  raised 
dead  men  to  life,  hath  stop- 
ped the  violence  of  fire,  shut 
the  mouths  of  wild  beasts, 
hath  altered  the  course  of 
nature,  caused  rain  in  Egypt, 
and  drought  in  the  sea  ;  it 
made  the  Sun  to  go  from 
West  to  East,  and  the  Moon 
to  stand  still,  and  rocks  and 
mountains  to  walk  ;  and  it 
cures  diseases  without  phy- 
sic, and  makes  physic  to  do 
the  work  of  nature,  and  na- 
ture to  do  the  work  of  grace, 
and  gTace  to  do  the  work  of 
God,  and  it  does  miracles  of 
accident  and  event  :  and 
yet  Prayer,  that  does  all  this, 
is  of  itself  nothing  but  an 
ascent  of  the  mind  to  God, 
a  desiring  things  fit  to  be 
desired,  and  an  expression 
of  this  desire  to  God,  as  we 
can,  and  as  becomes  us.  And 
our  unwillingness  to  pray  is 
nothing  else  but  a  not  desi- 
ring what  we  ought  passion- 
ately to  long  for  ;  or  if  we 
do  desire  it,  it  is  a  choosing 
rather  to  miss  our  satisfac- 
tion and  felicity,  than  to  ask  ^ 
for  it .  j 

There  is  no  more  to  be 


OF  PRAYER.  217 

said  in  this  afiair,  but  that 
we  reduce  it  to  practice  ac- 
cording to  the  following 
Rules. 

Rules  for  the  'practice  of 
Prayer. 

1.  We  must  be  careful 
that  we  never  ask  any  thing 
of  God  that  is  sinful,  or  that 
directly  ministers  to  sin  : 
for  that  is  to  ask  of  God  to 
dishonour  Himself,  and  to 
undo  us.  We  had  need  con- 
sider what  we  pray  ;  for  be- 
fore it  returns  in  blessing, 
it  must  be  joined  withChrist's 
intercession,  and  presented 
to  God.  Let  us  principally 
ask  of  God  power  and  as- 
sistances to  do  our  duty,  to 
glorify  God.to  do  good  works, 
to  live  a  good  life,  to  die  in 
the  fear  and  favour  of  God, 
and  eternal  life  :  these 
things  God  delights  to  give, 
and  commands  that  we  shall 
ask,  and  we  may  with  con- 
fidence expect  to  be  answer- 
ed graciously  ;  for  these 
things  are  promised  without 
any  reservation  of  a  secret 
condition  :  if  we  ask  them, 
and  do  our  duty  towards  the 
obtaining  them,  we  are  sure 
never  to  miss  them. 

2.  We  may  lawfully  pray 
to  God  for  the  gifts  of  the 
Spirit,  that  minister  to  holy 
ends  ;  such  as  are  the  gift 
of  preaching,  the  spirit  of 


218 


OF  PRAYER. 


prayer,  good  expression,  a 
ready  and  unloosed  tongue, 
good  understanding,  learn- 
ing, opportunities  to  publish 
them,  !kc.  with  these  only 
restraints.  1.  That  we  can- 
not be  so  confident  of  the 
event  of  those  prayers,  as 
of  the  former,  2.  That  we 
must  be  curious  to  secure 
our  intention  in  these  desires, 
that  we  may  not  ask  them 
to  serve  our  own  ends,  but 
only  for  God's  glory  ;  and 
then  we  shall  have  them,  or 
a  blessing  for  desiring  them. 
In  order  to  such  pm-poses 
our  intentions  in  the  first 
desires  cannot  be  amiss  ;  be- 
cause they  are  able  to  sanctify 
other  things,  and  therefore 
cannot  be  unhallowed  them- 
selves. 3.  We  must  submit 
to  God's  Will,  desiring  Him 
to  choose  our  employment, 
and  to  furnish  our  persons 
as  He  shall  see  expedient. 

3.  Whatsoever  we  may 
lawfully  desire  of  temporal 
things,  we  may  lawfully  ask 
of  God  in  prayer,  and  we 
may  expect  them  as  they 
are  promised.  1.  Whatsoever 
is  necessary  to  our  life  and 
being,  is  promised  to  us: 
and  therefore  we  may  with 
certainty  expect  food  and 
raiment ;  food  to  keep  us 
alive,  clothing  to  keep  us 

*  1  John  iii.  22;  John  ix.  31; 
1  Tim.  ii.  8  ;  Psal.  iv.  5  ;  Ixvi.  18. 


from  nakedness  and  shame  : 
so  long  as  our  life  is  per- 
mitted to  us,  so  long  all 
things  necessary  to  our  life 
shall  be  ministered.  We 
may  be  secure  of  mainten- 
ance, but  not  secure  of  our 
life  ;  for  that  is  promised, 
not  this :  only  concerning 
food  and  raiment  we  are  not 
to  make  accounts  by  the 
measure  of  our  desires,  but 
by  the  measure  of  our  needs. 
2.  Whatsoever  is  convenient 
for  us,  pleasant,  and  modest- 
ly delectable,  we  may  pray 
for:  so  we  do  it,  1.  with 
submission  to  God's  Will ; 

2.  without  impatient  desires  ; 

3.  that  it  be  not  a  trifle  and 
inconsiderable,  but  a  matter 
so  grave  and  concerning,  as 
to  be  a  fit  matter  to  be 
treated  on  between  God  and 
our  Souls  ;  4.  that  we  ask  it 
not  to  spend  upon  our  lusts, 
but  for  ends  of  justice,  or 
charity,  or  Religion  ;  and 
that  they  be  employed  with 
sobriety. 

4.  He  that  would  pray 
with  eifect,  must  live  with 
care  and  piety".  For  although 
God  gives  to  sinners  and  evil 
persons  the  common  bles- 
sings of  life  and  chance ; 
yet  either  they  want  the 
comfort  and  blessing  of 
those  blessings,  or  they  be- 

Isai.  i.   15;  iviii.   9;   Mai.  iii.  10; 


come  occasions  of  sadder  ac- 
cidents to  them,  or  serve  to 
upbraid  them  in  their  ingra- 
titude or  irreligion  :  and  in 
all  cases,  they  are  not  the 
effects  of  prayer,  or  the 
fruits  of  promise,  or  instances 
of  a  father's  love  ;  for  they 
cannot  he  expected  with 
confidence,  or  received  with- 
out danger,  or  used  without 
a  curse  and  mischief  in 
their  company.  *But  as 
all  sin  is  an  impediment  to 
prayer,  so  some  have  a  spe- 
cial indisposition  towards 
acceptation ;  such  are  Un- 
charitableness  and  Wrath, 
Hypocrisy  in  the  present 
action.  Pride,  and  Lust  : 
because  these  by  defiling 
the  body  or  the  spirit,  or  by 
contradicting  some  neces- 
sary ingredient  in  prayer 
(such  as  are  Mercy,  Humi- 
lity, Purity,  and  Sincerity), 
do  defile  the  prayer,  and 
make  it  a  direct  sin  in  the 
circumstances  or  formality 
of  the  action. 

5.  All  Prayer  must  be 
made  with  Faith  and  Hope  : 
that  is,  we  must  certainly 
believe  we  shall  receive  the 
grace  which  God  hath  com- 
manded us  to  ask  ^  ;  and  we 
must  hope  for  such  things 
which  He  hath  permitted  us 
to  ash  ;  and  our  Hope  shall 
not    be   vain,    though    we 

b  Mark  xi.  24 


OF  PRAYER.  219 

miss  what  is  not  absolutely 
promised,  because  we  shall 
at  least  have  an  equal  bles- 
sing in  the  denial,  as  in  the 
grant.  And  therefore  the 
former  conditions  must 
first  be  secured  ;  that  is, 
that  we  ask  things  neces- 
sary, or  at  least  good  and 
innocent  and  profitable,  and 
that  our  persons  be  gracious 
in  the  eyes  of  God  ;  or  else, 
what  God  hath  promised  to 
our  natural  needs,  He  may 
in  many  degrees  deny  to 
our  personal  incapacity : 
but  the, thing  being  secured, 
and  the  person  disposed, 
there  can  be  no  fault  at  all  : 
for  whatsoever  else  remains 
is  on  God's  part ;  and  that 
cannot  possibly  fail.  But 
because  the  things  which 
are  not  commanded  cannot 
possibly  be  secured,  (for  we 
are  not  sure  they  are  good  in 
all  cii'cumstances) ;  we  can 
but  hope  for  such  things, 
even  after  we  have  secured 
our  good  intentions.  Wo 
are  sure  of  a  blessing,  but  in 
what  instance  we  are  not 
yet  assured. 

6.  Our  prayers  must  be 
fervent,  intense,  earnest,  and 
importunate,  when  we  pray 
for  things  of  high  concern- 
ment and  necessity.  "  Con- 
tinuing  instant  in  prayer  ;" 
"  striving  in  prayer  : "  "  la- 

;  Jam.  i.  6,  7. 
2 


220 


OP  PRAYER. 


leaving  it ;  but  daily  renew- 
ing our  suits,  and  exercising 
our  hope,  and  faith,  and  pa- 
tience, and  long-sufler  ing, 
and  Religion,  and  resigna- 
tion, and  self-denial,  in  all 
the  degrees  we  shall  be  put 
to.  This  circumstance  of 
duty  our  blessed  Saviour 
taught,  saying,  that  "  me7i 
ought  always  to  pray,  and 
not  to  faint  ^"  Alivays  to 
pray  signifies  the  frequent 
doing  of  the  duty  in  general: 
but  because  we  cannot  al- 
ways ask  several  things,  and 
we  also  have  frequent  need 
of  the  same  thing,  and 
those  are  such  as  concern 
our  great  interest,  the  pre- 
cept comes  home  to  this 
very  circumstance ;  and  S. 
Paul  calls  it  '■'■praying  with- 
out ceasing '^ i'''  and  himself 
in  his  own  case  gave  a  pre- 
cedent :  "  For  this  cause  1 
besought  the  Lord  thrice  ^." 
And  so  did  our  blessed  Lord; 
He  went  thrice  to  God  on 
the  same  errand,  with  the 
same  words,  in  a  short  space 
about  half  a  night ;  for  His 
time  to  solicit  His  suit  was 
but  short.  And  the  Philip- 
pians  were  remembered  by 
the  Apostle,  their  spiritual 
Father,  "  always  in  every 
prayer  of  his K""    And  thus 

=   Rom.  xii.  12  ;    xv.  30  ;    Col.  iv.  12;    1  Thess.  iii.  10;    Eph.  vi.  18. 
'•  1  Pet.  iv.  7.  «  Jam.  v.  16,  17.  *  Luke  xviii.  1 ;  xxi.  36- 

^  I  Thcss.  V.  17.  '■  2  Cor.  xii.  8.  *  Phil.i.  4. 


ho  uring fervently  in  prayer ;" 
"  night  and  day  praying  ex- 
ceedingly :""    ''praying  al- 
ways with  all  prayer  ;"  so 
S.  Paul  calls  it ":  "  watching 
unto  prayer  ;"  so  S.  Peter": 
''praying  earnestly  : "  so  S. 
James  ^.    And  this  is  not  at 
all  to  be  abated  in  matters 
spiritual  and  of  duty :  for 
according  as  our  desires  are, 
so  are  our  prayers ;  and  as 
our  prayers  are,  so  shall  be 
the  grace  ;  and  as  that  is, 
so  shall  be  the  measure  of 
glory.     But  this  admits  of 
degrees,   according    to   the 
perfection   or   imperfection 
of  our  state  of  life :  but  it 
hath  no  other  measures,  but 
ought  to  be  as  great  as  it 
can ;  the  bigger  the  better : 
we  must  make  no  positive 
restraints    upon    ourselves. 
In  other  things  we  are  to 
use  a  bridle :  and  as  we  must 
limit  our  desires  with  sub- 
mission to  God's  will,  so  also 
we  must  limit  the  importu- 
nity of  our  prayers  by  the 
moderation  and  term  of  our 
desires.     Pray  for  it  as  ear- 
nestly as  you  may  desire  it. 
7,  Our   desires   must   be 
lasting,  and  our  prayers  fre- 
quent, assiduous,  and  con- 
tinual :    not   asking   for   a 
once,    and    then 


or  PRAYER. 


221 


"we  must  always  pray  for 
the  pardon  of  our  sins,  for 
the  assistance  of  God's  grace, 
for  charity,  for  life  eternal ; 
never  giving  over,  till  we 
die  :  and  thus  also  we  pray 
for  supply  of  great  temporal 
needs  in  their  several  pro- 
portions ;  in  all  cases  being 
curious  we  do  not  give  over 
out  of  weariness  or  impati- 
ence. For  God  oftentimes 
defers  to  grant  our  suit,  be- 
cause He  loves  to  hear  us 
beg  it,  and  hath  a  design  to 
give  us  more  than  we  ask, 
even  a  satisfaction  of  our 
desires,  and  a  blessing  for 
the  very  importunity. 

8.  Let  the  words  of  our 
prayers  be  pertinent,  grave, 
material,  not  studiously 
many,  but  according  to  our 
need,  sufficient  to  express 
our  wants,  and  to  signify  our 
importunity.  God  hears  us 
not  the  sooner  for  our  many 
words,  but  much  the  sooner 
for  an  earnest  desire ;  to 
which  let  apt  and  sufficient 
words  minister,  be  they  few 
or  many,  according  as  it 
happens.  A  long  prayer 
and  a  short  differ  not  in 
their  capacities  of  being  ac- 
cepted ;  for  both  of  them 
take  their  value  according 
to  the  fer^-ency  of  spirit,  and 
the  charity  of  the  prayer. 
That  prayer  which  is  short 
'  Phil 


by  reason  of  an  impatient 
spirit,  or  dulness,  or  despite 
of  holy  things,  or  indiffer- 
ency  of  desires,  is  very  often 
criminal,  always  imperfect ; 
and  that  prayer  which  is 
lorg  out  of  ostentation,  or 
superstition,  or  a  trifling 
spirit,  is  as  criminal  and  im- 
perfect as  the  other,  in  their 
several  instances.  This  rule 
relates  to  private  prayer. 
In  public,  our  devotion  is  to 
be  measured  by  the  appoint- 
ed office  ;  and  we  are  to 
support  our  spirit  with  spiri- 
tual arts,  that  our  private 
spirit  may  be  a  part  of  the 
public  spirit,  and  be  adopted 
into  the  society  and  blessings 
of  the  Communion  of  Saints. 

9.  In  all  forms  of  prayer 
mingle  petition  with  thanks- 
giving, that  you  may  endear 
the  present  prayer  and  the 
future  blessing  by  returning 
praise  and  thanks  for  what 
we  have  already  received. 
This  is  Saint  PauVs  advice ; 
'' Be  careful  for  nothing  ;  hut 
in  every  thing  hy prayer  and 
s^rpplication  with  thanks- 
giving let  your  requests  he 
made  fcnov:n  unto  God^.'''' 

10.  Whatever  we  beg  of 
God,  let  us  also  work  for  it ; 
if  the  thing  be  matter  of 
duty,  or  a  consequent  to 
industry.  For  God  loves  to 
bless  labour  and  to  reward  it 


222 


OF  PRAYER. 


but  not  to  support  idleness. 
And  therefore  our  blessed 
Saviour  in  his  Sermons  joins 
watchfulness  with  Prayer  : 
for  God's  graces  are  but 
assistances,  not  new  crea- 
tions of  the  whole  habit  in 
every  instant  or  period  of 
our  life.  Read  Scriptures, 
and  then  pray  to  God  for 
understanding.  Pray  a- 
gainst  temptation  :  but  you 
must  also  resist  the  Devil, 
and  then  he  will  flee  from 
you\  Ask  of  God  compe- 
tency of  living  :  but  you 
must  also  u-ork  with  your 
hands  the  things  that  are 
honest,  that  ye  may  have  to 
supply  in  time  of  need'". 
We  can  but  do  our  endea- 
vour, and  pray  for  a  blessing, 
and  then  leave  the  success 
with  God  :  and  beyond  this 
we  cannot  deliberate,  we 
cannot  take  care ;  but  so 
far  we  must. 

II.  To  this  purpose  let 
every  man  study  his  prayers, 
and  read  his  duty  in  his 
Petitions.  For  the  body  of 
our  Prayer  is  the  sum  of 
our  duty  :  and  as  we  must 
ask  of  God  whatsoever  we 
need  ;  so  we  must  labour  for 
all  that  we  ask.  Because  it 
is  our  duty,  therefore  we 
must  pray  for  God's  grace: 
but  because  God's  grace  is 
necessary,   and   without    it 

!  Jam,  iv.  7. 


we  can  do  nothing  ;  we  are 
sufficiently  taught,  that  in 
the  proper  matter  of  our 
religious  Prayers  is  the  just 
matter  of  our  duty  ;  and  if 
we  shall  turn  our  Prayers 
into  precepts,  we  shall  the 
easier  turn  our  hearty  de- 
sires into  effective  practices. 

12.  In  all  our  Prayers  we 
must  be  careful  to  attend 
our  present  work  ;  having  a 
present  mind,  not  wander- 
ing upon  impertinent  things, 
not  distant  from  our  words, 
much  less  contrary  to  them : 
and  if  our  thoughts  do  at 
any  time  wander,  and  divert 
upon  other  objects,  bring 
them  back  again  with  pru- 
dent and  severe  arts  ;  by 
all  means  striving  to  obtain 
a  diligent,  a  sober,  an  un- 
troubled and  a  composed 
spirit. 

13.  Let  your  posture  and 
gesture  of  body  in  Prayers 
be  reverent,  grave,  and  hum- 
ble :  according  to  public 
order,  or  the  best  examples, 
if  it  be  in  public  ;  if  it  be  in 
private,  either  stand,  or 
kneel,  or  lie  flat  upon  the 
ground  on  your  face,  in 
your  ordinary  and  more 
solemn  prayers  ;  but  in  ex- 
traordinary, casual,  and  eja- 
culatory  prayers,  the  rever- 
ence and  devotion  of  the 
Soul,  and  the  lifting  up  the 

"'  Eph.  iv.  28. 


OF  PRATER. 


223 


eyes  and  hands  to  God  with 
any  other  posture  not  un- 
decent,  is  usual  and  com- 
mendable ;  for  we  may  pray 
in  bed,  on  horse-back,  every 
where^,  and  at  all  times^ 
and  in  all  circumstances  : 
and  it  is  well  if  we  do  so  : 
and  some  servants  have  not 
opportunity  to  pray  so  often 
as  they  would,  unless  they 
supply  the  appetites  of  Re- 
ligion by  such  accidental 
devotions. 

1 4.  "  Let  prai/ers  and  sup- 
plications anil  giving  of 
thanhs  he  made  for  all  men  : 
for  Kings  and  all  that  are 
in  authority.  For  this  is 
good  and  acceptable  i7i  the 
sight  of  God  our  Saviour  °.'' 
We  who  must  love  our 
Neighbours  as  ourselves, 
must  also  pray  for  them  as 
for  ourselves :  with  this  only 
difference,  that  we  may  en- 
large in  our  temporal  de- 
sires for  Kings,  and  pray 
for  secular  prosperity  to 
them  with  more  importunity 
than  for  ourselves,  because 
they  need  more  to  enable 
their  duty  and  government, 
and  for  the  interests  of  Re- 
ligion and  Justice.  This 
part  of  Prayer  is  by  the 
Apostle  called  ititercession  V 
in  which  with  special  care 
we  are  to  remember  our 
Relatives,  our  Family,  our 

°  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  °  1  Tim.  ii. 


Charge,  our  Benefactors, 
our  Creditors ;  not  forget- 
ting to  beg  pardon  and  cha- 
rity for  our  Enemies,  and 
protection  against  them. 

15.  Rely  not  on  a  single 
prayer  in  matters  of  great 
concernment ;  but  make  it 
as  public  as  you  can,  by  ob- 
taining of  others  to  pray  for 
you :  this  being  the  great 
blessing  of  the  Communion 
of  Saints,  that  a  prayer 
united  is  strong,  like  a  well- 
ordered  army  ;  and  God 
loves  to  be  tied  fast  with 
such  cords  of  love,  and  con- 
strained by  a  holy  violence. 

16.  Every  time  that  is 
not  seized  upon  by  some 
other  duty,  is  seasonable 
enough  for  prayer  :  but  let 
it  be  performed  as  a  solemn 
duty  morning  and  evening, 
that  God  may  begin  and 
end  all  our  business,  and 
the  out- going  of  the  morning 
and  evening  may  praise 
Him  1 ;  for  so  we  bless  God, 
and  God  blesses  us.  And 
yet  fail  not  to  find  or  make 
opportunities  to  worship 
God  at  some  other  times  of 
the  day ;  at  least  by  ejacu- 
lations and  short  addresses, 
more  or  less,  longer  or  short- 
er, solemnly  or  without  so- 
lemnity, privately  or  pub- 
licly, as  you  can,  or  are  per- 
mitted :   always  remember- 

1—3.        P  lb.  1  Ps.  IxY.  8. 


224 


OF  PRATER. 


ing,  that  as  every  sin  is  a 
degree  of  danger  and  un- 
safely ;  so  every  pious 
prayer  and  well-employed 
opportunity  is  a  degree  of 
return  to  hope  and  pardon. 

Cautions  for  making  Vows. 

17.  A  vow  to  God  is  an 
act  of  prayer,  and  a  great 
degree  and  instance  of  op- 
portunity, and  an  increase 
of  duty  by  some  new  un- 
commanded  instance,  or 
some  more  eminent  degree 
of  duty,  or  frequency  of 
action,  or  earnestness  of 
spirit  in  the  same.  And 
because  it  hath  pleased  God 
in  all  ages  of  the  world  to 
admit  of  intercourse  with 
His  servants  in  the  matters 
of  vows  ;  it  is  not  ill  advice, 
that  we  make  vows  to  God 
in  such  cases  in  which  we 
have  great  need,  or  great 
danger.  But  let  it  be  done 
according  to  these  rules  and 
by  these  cautions. 

1.  That  the  matter  of  the 
Vow  be  lawful.  2.  That  it 
be  useful  in  order  to  Reli- 
gion or  Charity.  3.  That 
it  be  grave,  not  trifling  and 
impertinent,  but  great  in 
our  proportion  of  duty  to- 
wards the  blessing.  4.  That 
it  be  in  an  uncommanded 
instance  ;  that  is,  that  it  be 


of  something,  or  in  some 
manner,  or  in  some  degree, 
to  which  formerly  we  were 
not  obliged,  or  which  we 
might  have  omitted  without 
sin.  5.  That  it  be  done' 
with  prudence ;  that  is,  that 
it  be  safe  in  all  the  circum- 
stances of  person,  lest  we 
beg  a  blessing,  and  fall  into 
a  snare.  6.  That  every  vow 
of  a  new  action  be  also  ac- 
companied with  a  new  de- 
gree and  enforcement  of  our 
essential  and  unalterable 
duty  :  such  as  was  JacoVs 
vow,  that  (besides  the  pay- 
ment of  a  tithe)  God  should 
he  his  God^\  that  so  he 
might  strengthen  his  duty 
to  Him,  first  in  essentials 
and  precepts ;  and  then  in 
additional  and  accidentals. 
For  it  is  but  an  ill  tree  that 
spends  more  in  leaves  and 
suckers  and  gums  than  in 
fruit :  and  that  thankful- 
ness and  Religion  is  best, 
that  first  secures  duty,  and 
then  enlarges  in  counsels. 
Therefore  let  every  great 
prayer,  and  great  need,  and 
great  danger,  draw  us  nearer 
to  God  by  the  approach  of  a 
pious  purpose  to  live  more 
strictly  ;  and  let  every  mer- 
cy of  God,  answering  that 
prayer,  produce  a  real  per- 
formance of  it.  7.  Let  not 
young  beginners  in  Religion 


^  Gen.  xxviii.  20—22. 


OF  PRATER. 


225 


enlarge  their  hearts  and 
straiten  their  liberty  by 
vows  of  long  continuance  : 
nor  (indeed)  any  one  else, 
without  a  great  experience 
of  himself,  and  of  all  acci- 
dental dangers.  Vows  of 
single  actions  are  safest,  and 
proportionable  to  those  sin- 
gle blessings  ever  begged  in 
such  cases  of  sudden  and 
transient  importunities.  8. 
Let  no  action  which  is  mat- 
ter of  question  and  dispute 
in  Religion,  ever  become 
the  matter  of  a  vow.  He 
vows  foolishly,  that  promises 
to  God  to  live  and  die  in  such 
an  opinion,  in  an  article 
not  necessary,  nor  certain  ; 
or  that,  upon  confidence  of 
his  present  guide,  binds  him- 
self for  ever  to  the  profes- 
sion of  what  he  may  after- 
wards more  reasonably  con- 
tradict, or  may  find  not  to 
be  useful,  or  not  profitable, 
but  of  some  danger,  or  of  no 
necessity. 

If  we  observe  the  former 
rules,  we  shall  pray  piously 
and  effectually :  but  because 
even  this  duty  hath  in  it 
some  special  temptations,  it 
is  necessary  that  we  be  arm- 
ed by  special  remedies  a- 
gainst  them.  The  dangers 
are,  1.  Wandering  thoughts; 
2.  Tediousness  of  spirit. 
Against  the  first  these  ad- 
vices are  profitable. 


Remedies  against   Wa7ider- 
ing  thoughts  in  Praijer. 

If  we  feel  our  spirits  apt 
to  wander  in  our  prayers, 
and  to  retire  into  the  world, 
or  to  things  unprofitable,  or 
vain  and  impertinent ; 

1.  Use  Prayer  to  be  as- 
sisted in  Prayer  :  pray  for 
the  spirit  of  supplication, 
for  a  sober,  fixed,  and  recol- 
lected spirit :  and  when  to 
this  you  add  a  moral  indus- 
try to  be  steady  in  your 
thoughts  ;  whatsoever  wan- 
derings after  this  do  return 
irremediably,  are  a  misery 
of  nature  and  an  irr  perfec- 
tion, but  no  sin,  while  it  is 
not  cherished  and  indulged 
to. 

2.  In  private  it  is  not 
amiss  to  attempt  the  cure 
by  reducing  your  Prayers 
into  Collects  and  short  forms 
of  prayer;  making  volun- 
tary interruptions,  and  be- 
ginning again,  that  the  want 
of  spirit  and  breath  may  be 
supplied  by  the  short  stages 
and  periods. 

3.  When  you  have  ob- 
served any  considerable  wan- 
dering of  your  thoughts, 
bind  yourself  to  repeat  that 
prayer  again  with  actual  at- 
tention, or  else  revolve  the 
fuU  sense  of  it  in  your  spi- 
rit, and  repeat  it  in  all  the 
effects  and  desires  of  it :  and 

3 


226 


OF  PKAYER. 


possibly  the  tempter  may  be 
driven  away  with  his  own 
art,  and  may  cease  to  inter- 
pose his  trifles,  when  he 
perceives  they  do  but  vex 
the  person  into  carefulness 
and  piety  ;  and  yet  he  loses 
nothing  of  his  devotion,  but 
doubles  the  earnestness  of 
his  care. 

4.  If  this  be  not  season- 
able or  opportune,  or  apt 
to  any  man's  circumstances, 
yet  be  sure  with  actual  at- 
tention to  say  a  hearty 
Amen  to  the  whole  prayer 
with  one  united  desire,  earn- 
estly begging  the  graces 
mentioned  in  the  prayer : 
for  that  desire  does  the  great 
work  of  the  Prayer,  and  se- 
cures the  blessing,  if  the 
wandering  thoughts  were 
against  our  will,  and  dis- 
claimed by  contending  a- 
gainst  them. 

5.  Avoid  multiplicity  of 
businesses  of  the  world ;  and 
in  those  that  are  u.navoid- 
able,  labour  for  an  evenness 
and  tranquillity  of  spirit, 
that  you  may  be  untroubled 
and  smooth  in  all  tempests 
of  fortune :  for  so  we  shall 
better  tend  Religion,  when 
we  are  not  torn  in  pieces 
with  the  cares  of  the  world, 
and  seized  upon  with  low 
affections,  passions,  and  in- 
terest. 

6.  It  helps  much  to  at- 


tention and  actual  adver- 
tisement in  our  prayers,  if 
we  say  our  prayers  silently, 
without  the  voice,  only  by 
the  spirit.  For  in  mental 
prayer  if  our  thoughts  wan- 
der, we  only  stand  still  ; 
when  our  mind  returns,  we 
go  on  again  :  there  is  none 
of  the  prayer  lost ;  as  it  is, 
if  our  mouths  speak  and 
our  hearts  wander. 

7.  To  incite  you  to  the 
use  of  these  or  any  other 
counsels  you  shall  meet  with, 
remember,  that  it  is  a  great 
indecency  to  desire  of  God 
to  hear  those  prayers,  a 
great  part  whereof  we  do 
not  hear  ourselves.  If  they 
be  not  worthy  of  our  atten- 
tion, they  are  far  more  un- 
worthy of  God's. 

Signs  of  tediousness  of  spirit 
in  our  Prayers  and  all 
actions  of  Religion. 
The  second  temptation  in 
our  Prayer  is  a  tediousness 
of  spirit,  or  a  weariness  of 
the  employment ;  like  that 
of  the  Jews,  who  complained 
that  they  were  weary  of  the 
new  Moons,  and  their  souls 
loathed  the  frequent  return 
of  their  Sabbaths  :  so  do 
very  many  Christians  ;  who, 
first,  pray  without  fervour 
and  earnestness  of  spirit ; 
and  secondly,  meditate  but 
seldom,   and    that   without 


OF  PRATER. 


227 


fruit,  or  sense,  or  affection  ; 
or  thirdly,  who  seldom  ex- 
amine their  consciences ;  and 
Avhen  they  do  it,  they  do  it 
but  sleepily,slightly,  without 
compunction,  or  hearty  pur- 
pose, or  fruits  of  amend- 
ment. 4.  They  enlarge 
themselves  in  the  thoughts 
and  fruition  of  temporal 
things,  running  for  comfort 
to  them  only  in  any  sadness 
and  misfortune.  5.  They 
love  not  to  frequent  the 
Sacraments,  nor  any  the  in- 
struments of  Religion,  as 
Sermons,  Confessions,  Pray- 
ers in  public,  Fastings  ;  but 
love  ease,  and  a  loose  undis- 
ciplined life,  6.  They  obey 
not  their  superiors,  but  fol- 
low their  own  judgment, 
when  their  judgment  fol- 
lows their  affections,  and 
their  affection  follow  sense 
and  worldly  pleasures.  7. 
They  neglect,  or  dissemble, 
or  defer,  or  do  not  attend 
to,  the  motions  and  inclina- 
tions to  virtue  which  the 
Spirit  of  God  puts  into  their 
Soul.  8.  They  repent  them 
of  their  vows  and  holy  pur- 
poses, not  because  they  dis- 
cover any  indiscretion  in 
them,  or  intolerable  incon- 
venience, but  because  they 
have  within  them  labour, 
(as  the  case  now  stands)  to 
them  displeasure.  9.  They 
content  themselves  with  the 


first  degTees  and  necessaiy 
parts  of  virtue  ;  and  when 
they  are  arrived  thither, 
they  sit  down,  as  if  they 
were  come  to  the  mountain 
of  the  Lord,  and  care  not 
to  proceed  on  toward  per- 
fection. 10.  They  enquire 
into  all  cases  in  which  it 
may  be  lawful  to  omit  a 
duty  ;  and  though  they  will 
not  do  less  than  they  are 
bound  to,  yet  they  will  do 
no  more  than  needs  must ; 
for  they  do  out  of  fear  and 
self-love,  not  out  of  the  love 
of  God,  or  the  spirit  of  holi- 
ness and  zeal.  The  event  of 
which  will  be  this  :  He  that 
will  do  no  more  than  needs 
must,  will  soon  be  brought 
to  omit  something  of  his 
duty,  and  will  be  apt  to  be- 
lieve less  to  be  necessary 
than  is. 

Remedies  against  Tedious- 
ness  of  spirit. 

The  Remedies  against  this 
temptation  are  these. 

1 .  Order  your  private  de- 
votions so,  that  they  become 
not  arguments  and  causes 
of  tediousness  by  their  in- 
discreet length  ;  but  reduce 
your  words  into  a  narrower 
compass,  still  keeping  all 
the  matter,  and  what  is  cut 
off  in  the  length  of  your 
prayers,  supply  in  the  earn- 
estness of  your  spirit :  for 


228 


OP  PRAYER. 


SO  nothing  is  lost,  while  the 
words  are  changed  into  mat- 
ter, and  length  of  time  into 
fervency  of  devotion.  The 
forms  are  made  not  the  less 
perfect,  and  the  spirit  is 
more,  and  the  scruple  is 
removed. 

2.  It  is  not  imprudent,  if 
we  provide  variety  of  forms 
of  Prayer  to  the  same  pur- 
poses, that  the  change  by 
consulting  with  the  appe- 
tites of  fancy  may  better 
entertain  the  Spirit :  and 
possibly  we  may  be  pleased 
to  recite  a  Hymn,  Avhen  a 
Collect  seems  flat  to  us  and 
unpleasant ;  and  we  are 
willing  to  sing  rather  than 
to  say,  or  to  sing  this  rather 
than  that :  we  are  certain 
that  variety  is  delightful ; 
and  whether  that  be  natural 
to  us,  or  an  imperfection, 
yet  if  it  be  complied  with, 
it  may  remove  some  part  of 
the  temptation. 

3.  Break  your  office  and 
devotion  into  fragments,  and 
make  frequent  returnings 
by  ejaculations  and  abrupt 
intercourses  with  God  ;  for 
so,  no  length  can  oppress 
your  tenderness  and  sickli- 
ness of  spirit  ;  and  by  often 
praying  in  such  manner  and 
in  all  circumstances,  we 
shall  habituate  our  Souls  to 
prayer,  by  making  it  the 
business  of  many  lesser  por- 


tions of  our  time  ;  and  by 
thrusting  in  between  all  our 
other  employments,  it  will 
make  every  thing  relish  of 
Religion,  and  by  degrees 
turn  all  into  its  nature. 

4.  Learn  to  abstract  your 
thoughts  and  desires  from 
pleasures  and  things  of  the 
world.  For  nothing  is  a 
direct  cure  to  this  evil,  but 
cutting  off  all  other  loves 
and  adherences.  Order  your 
affairs  so,  that  Religion  may 
be  propounded  to  you  as  a 
reward,  and  Prayer  as  your 
defence,  and  holy  actions  as 
yoiu'  security  and  Charity, 
and  good  works  as  your 
treasure.  Consider  that  all 
things  else  are  satisfactions 
but  to  the  brutish  part  of  a 
man,  and  that  these  are  the 
refreshments  and  relishes  of 
that  noble  part  of  us  by 
which  we  are  better  than 
beasts :  and  whatsoever 
other  instrument,  exercise, 
or  consideration,  is  of  use  to 
take  our  loves  from  the 
Avorld,  the  same  is  apt  to 
place  them  upon  God. 

5.  Do  not  seek  for  delici- 
ousness  and  sensible  conso- 
lations in  the  actions  of  Re- 
ligion, but  only  regard  the 
duty  and  the  conscience  of 
it.  For  although  in  the 
beginning  of  Religion  most 
frequently,  and  at  some 
other  times  irregularly,  God 


OF  PRAYER. 


229 


complies  with,  our  infirmity, 
and   encourages    our    duty 
with  little  overflowings   of 
spiritual  joy,  and   sensible 
pleasure,  and  delicacies  in 
prayer,  so   as  we   seem  to 
feel    some   little    beam    of 
Heaven,  and  great  refresh- 
ments  from   the   Spirit   of 
consolation  ;  yet  this  is  not 
always  safe  for  us  to  have, 
neither  safe  for  us  to  expect 
and  look  for  :  and  when  we 
do,  it  is  apt  to  make  us  cool 
in  our  enquiries  and  wait- 
ings upon  Christ  when  we 
want  them  :  It  is  a  running 
after  Him,  not  for  the  mira- 
cles, but  for  the  loaves  ;  not 
for  the  wonderful  things  of 
God,    and    the    desires    of 
pleasing  Him,  but  for  the 
pleasure    of   pleasing   our- 
selves.  And  as  we  must  not 
judge  our   devotion   to   be 
barren  or  unfruitful  when 
we  want  the  overflowings  of 
joy   running  over ;  so   nei- 
ther must  we  cease  for  want 
of  them.     If  our  spirits  can 
serve  God   choosingly   and 
greedily  out  of  pure  consci- 
ence of  our  duty,  it  is  bet- 
ter in  itself,  and  more  safe 
to  us. 

6.  Let  him  use  to  soften 
his  spu'it  with  frequent  me- 
ditation upon  sad  and  dolo- 
rous objects  ;  as  of  Death, 
the  terrors  of  the  day  of 
Judgment,     fearfal    judg- 


ments upon  sinners,  strange 
horrid  accidents,  fear  of 
God's  wrath,  the  pains  of 
Helljthe unspeakable  amaze- 
ments of  the  damned,  the 
intolerable  load  of  a  sad 
Eternity.  For  whatsoever 
creates  fear,  or  makes  the 
spirit  to  dwell  in  a  religious 
sadness,  is  apt  to  entender 
the  spirit,  and  make  it  de- 
vout and  pliant  to  any  part 
of  duty.  For  a  great  fear, 
when  it  is  ill  managed,  is 
the  parent  of  superstition ; 
but  a  discreet  and  well- 
guided  fear  produces  Re- 
ligion. 

7.  Pray  often,  and  you 
shall  pray  oftener ;  and 
when  you  are  accustomed  to 
a  frequent  devotion,  it  will 
so  insensibly  unite  to  your 
nature  and  aflections,  that 
it  will  become  trouble  to 
omit  your  usual  or  appointed 
prayers :  and  what  you  ob- 
tain at  first  by  doing  vio- 
lence to  your  inclinations, 
at  last  will  not  be  left  with- 
out as  great  unwillingness 
as  that  by  which  at  first  it 
entered.  This  rule  relies 
not  only  upon  reason  de- 
rived from  the  nature  of 
habits,  which  turn  into  a 
second  nature,  and  make 
their  actions  easy,  frequent, 
and  delightful  ;  but  it  relies 
upon  a  reason  depending 
upon  the  nature  and  con- 


230 


OF  PRATER. 


stitution  of  Grace,  whose  pro- 
ductions are  of  the  same 
nature  with  the  parent,  and 
increases  itself,  naturally 
growing  from  grains  to  huge 
trees,  from  minutes  to  vast 
proportions,  and  from  mo- 
ments to  Eternity.  But  be 
sure  not  to  omit  your  usual 
prayers  without  great  rea- 
son, though  without  sin  it 
may  be  done  ;  because  after 
you  have  omitted  some- 
thing, in  a  little  while  you 
will  be  passed  the  scruple  of 
that,  and  begin  to  be  tempt- 
ed to  leave  out  more.  Keep 
yourself  up  to  your  usual 
forms :  you  may  enlarge 
when  you  will ;  but  do  not 
contract  or  lessen  them 
without  a  very  probable 
reason. 

8.  Let  a  man  frequently 
and  seriously  by  imagina- 
tion place  himself  upon  his 
death-bed,  and  consider 
what  great  joys  he  shall 
have  for  the  remembrance 
of  every  day  well  spent,  and 
what  then  he  would  give 
that  he  had  so  spent  all  his 
days.  He  may  guess  at  it 
by  proportions  :  for  it  is  cer- 
tain he  shall  have  a  joyful 
and  prosperous  night,  who 
hath  spent  his  day  holily  ; 
and  he  resigns  his  Soul  with 
peace  into  the  hands  of  God, 


who  hath  lived  in  the  peace 
of  God  and  the  works  of 
Religion  in  his  life-time. 
This  consideration  is  of  a 
real  event,  it  is  of  a  thing 
that  will  certainly  come  to 
pass.  It  is  appointed  for 
all  men  once  to  die,  and  after 
death  comes  judgment^ ;  the 
apprehension  of  which  is 
dreadful,  and  the  presence 
of  it  is  intolerable,  unless 
by  Religion  and  Sanctity 
we  are  disposed  for  so  vener- 
able an  appearance, 

9.  To  this  may  be  useful, 
that  we  consider  the  easi- 
ness of  Christ's  yoke*,  the 
excellencies  and  sweetnesses 
that  are  in  Religion,  the 
peace  of  conscience,  the  joy 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  re- 
joicing in  God,  the  simpli- 
city and  pleasure  of  virtue, 
the  intricacy,  trouble,  and 
business  of  sin  ;  the  bles- 
sings and  health  and  reward 
of  that ;  the  curses,  the  sick- 
nesses and  sad  consequences 
of  this  ;  and  that  if  we  are 
weary  of  the  labours  of  Re- 
ligion, we  must  eternally  sit 
still  and  do  nothing :  for 
whatsoever  we  do  contrary 
to  it,  is  infinitely  more  full 
of  labour,  care,  difficulty 
and  vexation. 

10.  Consider  this  also  ; 
that  tediousness  of  spirit  is 


"  Heb.  ix.  27.  *  See  the  "  Great  Exemplar."     Part  iii.  Disc.  15. 

Of  the  Easiness  of  Christian  Religion. 


the  beginning  of  the  most 
dangerous  condition  and 
estate  in  the  whole  world. 
For  it  is  a  great  disposition 
to  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost :  it  is  apt  to  bring  a 
man  to  backsliding  and  the 
state  of  unregeneration,  to 
make  him  return  to  his 
vomit  and  his  sink ;  and 
either  to  make  the  man  im- 
patient, or  his  condition 
scrupulous,  unsatisfied,  irk- 
some and  desperate  :  and  it 
is  better  that  he  had  never 
known  the  way  of  godliness, 
than  after  the  knowledge  of 
it,  that  he  shoiddfall  aivay^. 
There  is  not  in  the  world  a 
greater  sign  that  the  spirit 
of  reprobation  is  beginning 
upon  a  man,  than  when  he 


OF  PRAYER.  231 

is  habitually  and  constantly, 
or  very  frequently,  weary  ; 
and  slights  or  loathes  holy 
Offices. 

14.  The  last  remedy  that 
preserves  the  hope  of  such 
a  man,  and  can  reduce  him 
to  the  state  of  zeal  and  the 
love  of  God,  is  a  pungent, 
sad,  and  a  heavy  affliction  ; 
not  desperate,  but  recreated 
with  some  intervals  of  kind- 
ness, or  little  comforts,  or 
entertained  with  hopes  of 
deliverance  :  which  condi- 
tion if  a  man  shall  fall  into, 
by  the  grace  of  God  he  is 
likely  to  recover ;  but  if  this 
help  him  not,  it  is  infinite 
odds  but  he  will  quench  the 
Spirit  ^. 


Sect.  VIII. 


OF  ALMS. 


Love  is  as  communicative 
as  fire,  as  busy  and  as  ac- 
tive ;  and  it  hath  four  twin- 
daughters,  extreme  like  each 
other;  and  but  that  the 
Doctors  of  the  School  have 
done  as  Thamars  Midwife 
did,  who  bound  a  scarlet 
thread,  something  to  dis- 
tinguish them,  it  would  be 
very  hard  to  call  them  asun- 
n  2  Pet.  ii.21,  22. 


der.  Their  names  are,  1. 
Mercy ;  2.  Beneficence,  or 
well-doing;  3.  Liberality; 
and  4.  Alms ;  which  by  a 
special  privilege  hath  ob- 
tained to  be  called  after  the 
mother's  name,  and  is  com- 
monly called  Charity.  The 
first  or  eldest  is  seated  in 
the  afiection,  and  it  is  that 
which  all   the   other  must 

»  1  Thess.  V.  19. 


232 


attend.  For  Mercy  without 
Alms  is  acceptable,  when 
the  person  is  disabled  to  ex- 
press outwardly  what  he 
heartily  desires.  But  Alms 
without  Mercy  are  like 
prayers  without  devotion, 
or  Religion  without  Humi- 
lity. 2.  Beneficence,  or  well- 
doing, is  a  promptness  and 
nobleness  of  mind,  making 
us  to  do  offices  of  courtesy 
and  humanity  to  all  sorts 
of  persons  in  their  need, 
or  out  of  their  need.  3. 
Liberality  is  a  disposition  of 
mind  opposite  to  Covetous- 
ness  ;  and  consists  in  the 
despite  and  neglect  of  money 
upon  just  occasions  ;  and 
relates  to  our  friends,  chil- 
dren, kindred,  servants,  and 
other  relatives.  4.  But  Alms 
is  a  relieving  the  poor  and 
needy.  The  first  and  the 
last  only  are  duties  of  Chris- 
tianity. The  second  and 
third  are  circumstances  and 
adjuncts  of  these  duties  :  for 
Liherality  increases  the  de- 
gree of  Alms,  making  our 
gift  greater ;  and  Benefi- 
cence extends  it  to  more 
persons  and  orders  of  men, 
spreading  it  wider.  The 
former  makes  us  sometimes 
to  give  more  than  we  are 
able  ;  and  the  latter  gives 
to  more  than  need  by  the 
necessity  of  beggars,  and 
serves  the  needs  and  con- 


veniences of  persons,  and 
supplies  circumstances : 
whereas,  properly,  Alms 
are  doles  and  largesses  to  the 
necessitous  and  calamitous 
people,  supplying  the  neces- 
sities of  Nature,  and  giving 
remedies  to  their  miseries. 

Mercy  and  Alms  are  the 
body  and  Soul  of  that  cha- 
rity which  we  must  pay  to 
our  Neighbour's  need  ;  and 
it  is  a  precept  which  God 
therefore  enjoined  to  the 
world,  that  the  great  in- 
equality which  He  was  pleas- 
ed to  suffer  in  the  posses- 
sions and  accidents  of  men 
might  be  reduced  to  some 
temper  and  evenness  ;  and 
the  most  miserable  person 
might  be  reconciled  to  some 
sense  and  participation  of 
felicity. 

WorJcs  of  Mercy,  or  the 
several  kinds  of  corporal 
Alms. 

The  works  of  Mercy  are 
so  many  as  the  affections  of 
Mercy  have  objects,  or  as 
the  world  hath  kinds  of 
misery.  Men  want  meat, 
or  drink,  or  clothes,  or  a 
house,  or  liberty,  or  attend- 
ance, or  a  grave.  In  pro- 
portion to  these,  seven  works 
are  usually  assigned  to  INIer- 
cy,  and  there  are  seven 
kinds  of  corporal  Alms  reck- 
oned.    1.  To  feed  the  hun- 


gry^.  2.  To  give  drink  to 
the  thirsty.  3.  Or  clothes 
to  the  naked.  4.  To  redeem 
captives.  5.  To  visit  the 
sick.  6.  To  entertain 
strangers.  7.  To  bury  the 
deadz.  But  many  more 
may  be  added.  Such  as 
are,  8.  to  give  physic  to  sick 
persons.  9.  To  bring  cold 
and  starved  people  to 
warmth  and  to  the  fire  ; 
for  sometimes  clothing  will 
not  do  it :  or  this  may  be 
done  when  we  cannot  do 
the  other.  10.  To  lead  the 
blind  in  right  ways.  11.  To 
lend  money.  12,  To  for- 
give debts.  13.  To  remit 
forfeitures.  14.  To  mend 
high-ways  and  bridges.  15. 
To  reduce  or  guide  wander- 
ing travellers.  16.  To  ease 
their  labours  by  accommo- 
dating their  work  with  apt 
instruments  ;  or  their  jour- 
ney with  beasts  of  carriage. 
17.  To  deliver  the  poor  from 
their  oppressors.  18.  To  die 
for  my  brother.  19.  To  pay 
maidens'  dowries,  and  to 
procure  for  them  honest  and 
chaste  marriages. 

Works  of  spiritual  A  Ims  and 
mercy  are, 
1.  To  teach  the  ignorant. 
2.  To  counsel  doubting  per- 
sons.    3.  To  admonish  sin- 

y  Mat.  XXV.  35,  36. 
*  Heb.  X.  24. 


.MS.  233 

ners  diligently,  prudently, 
seasonably,  and  charitably  : 
To  which  also  may  be  re- 
duced, provoking  and  en- 
couraging to  good  works  a. 

4.  To  comfort  the  afflicted. 

5.  To  pardon  oiFendcrs.  6. 
To  succour  and  support  the 
weak ''.  7.  To  pray  for  all 
estates  of  men,  and  for  re- 
lief to  all  their  necessities. 
To  which  may  be  added,  8. 
To  punish  or  correct  refrac- 
toriness. 9.  To  be  gentle 
and  charitable  in  censuring 
the  actions  of  others.  10. 
To  establish  the  scrupulous, 
wavering,  and  inconstant 
spirits.  11.  To  confirm  the 
strong.  12.  Not  to  give 
scandal.  13.  To  quit  a  man 
of  his  fear.  14.  To  redeem 
maidens  from  prostitution 
and  publication  of  their 
bodies. 

To  both  these  kinds  a 
third  also  may  be  added  of 
a  mixed  nature,  partly  cor- 
poral, and  partly  spiritual : 
such  are,  1.  Reconciling 
enemies  ;  2.  Erecting  pub- 
lic Schools  of  Learning  ;  3. 
Maintaining  Lectures  of  Di- 
vinity ;  4.  Erecting  Colleges 
of  Religion  and  retirement 
from  the  noises  and  more 
frequent  temptations  of  the 
World  ;  5.  Finding  employ- 
ment for  unbusied  persons, 

^  Mat.  xxvi.  12  ;  2  Sam.  ii.  5. 
b  I  Thess.  V.  14. 


234 


OF  ALMS. 


and  putting  children  to 
honest  trades.  For  the  par- 
ticulars of  Mercy  or  Alms 
cannot  be  narrower  than 
men's  needs  are  :  and  the  old 
method  of  Alms  is  too  nar- 
row to  comprise  them  all ; 
and  yet  the  kinds  are  too 
many  to  be  discoursed  of 
particularly  :  only  our  bless- 
ed Saviour,  in  the  precept 
of  Alms,  uses  the  instances 
of  relieving  the  poor",  and 
forgiveness  of  injuries^; 
and  by  proportion  to  these, 
the  rest,  whose  duty  is  plain, 
simple,  easy,  and  necessary, 
may  be  determined.  But 
Alms  in  general  are  to  be 
disposed  of  according  to  the 
following  rules. 

Rides  for  giving  Alms. 

1.  Let  no  man  do  Alms  of 
that  which  is  none  of  his 
own  ^ ;  for  of  that  he  is  to 
make  restitution :  that  is 
due  to  the  owners,  not  to  the 
poor ;  for  every  man  hath 
need  of  his  own,  and  that  is 
first  to  be  provided  for  ;  and 
then  you  must  think  of  the 
needs  of  the  poor.  He  that 
gives  the  poor  what  is  not 
his  own,  makes  himself  a 
thief,  and  the  poor  to  be  the 
receivers.  This  is  not  to  be 
understood,  as  if  it  were  un- 


lawful for  a  man,  that  is 
not  able  to  pay  his  debts, 
to  give  smaller  Alms  to  the 
poor.  He  may  not  give  such 
portions  as  can  in  any  sense 
more  disable  him  to  do  jus- 
tice :  but  such,  which  if  they 
were  saved  could  not  ad- 
vance the  other  duty,  may 
retire  to  this,  and  do  here 
what  they  may,  since  in  the 
other  duty  they  cannot  do 
what  they  should  ^  But  ge- 
nerally cheaters  and  robbers 
cannot  give  Alms  of  what 
they  have  cheated  and 
robbed,  unless  they  cannot 
tell  the  persons  whom  they 
have  injured,  or  the  propor- 
tions ;  and  in  such  cases 
they  are  to  give  those  un- 
known portions  to  the  poor 
by  way  of  restitution ;  for  it 
is  no  Alms  :  only  God  is  the 
supreme  Lord  to  whom  those 
escheats  devolve,  and  the 
poor  are  His  Receivers. 

2.  Of  money  unjustly 
taken,  and  yet  voluntarily 
parted  with,  we  may  and  are 
bound  to  give  Alms :  such 
as  is  money  given  and  taken 
for  false  witness,  bribes,  si- 
moniacal  contracts ;  because 
the  Receiver  hath  no  right 
to  keep  it,  nor  the  Giver  any 
right  to  recall  it  ;  it  is  un- 
just money,  and  yet  paya- 
ble to  none  but  the  supreme 


<=  Matth.  xix.  21.     d  Matth.  v.  23,  24.     «  S.  Greg.  vii.  1.  110.  Epist. 
^  Proebeant  misericordiS,  ut  conservetur  justitia.    S.  Aug.  Prov.  iii.  9 


OF  ALMS. 


Lord  (Who  is  the  person  in- 
jured) and  to  His  Delegates, 
that  is,  the  poor.  To  which 
I  insert  these  cautions,  1,  If 
the  person  injured  by  the 
unjust  sentence  of  a  bribed 
Judge  or  by  false  witness,  be 
poor,  he  is  the  proper  object 
and  bosom  to  whom  the 
restitution  is  to  be  made. 
2.  In  case  of  Simony,  the 
Church,  to  whom  the  Simo- 
ny was  injurious,  is  the  lap 
into  which  the  restitution 
is  to  be  poured  ^  ;  and  if  it 
be  poor  and  out  of  repair, 
the  Alms,  or  Restitution 
(shall  I  call  it  ?)  are  to  be 
paid  to  it. 

3.  There  is  some  sort  of 
gain  that  hath  in  it  no  in- 
justice properly  so  called ; 
but  it  is  unlawful  2iTi(\.  filthy 
lucre :  such  as  is,  money 
taken  for  work  done  unlaw- 
fully upon  the  Lord's  day  ; 
hire  taken  for  disfiguring 
oneself,  and  for  being  pro- 
fessed jesters  ;  the  wages  of 
such  as  make  unjust  bar- 
gains ;  and  of  harlots  :  of 
this  money  there  is  some 
preparation  to  be  made  be- 
fore it  be  given  in  Alms. 
The  money  is  infected  with 
the  plague,  and  must  pass 
through  the  fire  or  the  wa- 
ter before  it  be  fit  for  Alms : 
the  person  must  repent  and 

e  Decret.  ep.  tit.  de  Simoni; 


235 

then 


leave  the   crime,  and 
minister  to  the  poor. 

4.  He  that  gives  Alms, 
must  do  it  in  mercy  ;  that 
is,  out  of  a  true  sense  of  the 
calamity  of  his  brother ; 
first  feeling  it  in  himself  in 
some  proportion,  and  then 
endeavouring  to  ease  him- 
self and  the  other  of  their 
common  calamity.  Against 
this  Rule  they  ofiend,  who 
give  Alms  out  of  custom,  or 
to  upbraid  the  poverty  of 
the  other,  or  to  make  him 
mercenary  and  obliged,  or 
with  any  unhandsome  cir- 
cumstances. 

5.  He  that  gives  Alms, 
must  do  it  with  a  single 
eye,  and  heart  ^^ ;  that  is, 
without  designs  to  get  the 
praise  of  men  i :  and  if  he 
secures  that,  he  may  either 
give  them  publicly  or  pri- 
vately :  for  Christ  intended 
only  to  provide  against  pride 
and  hypocrisy,  when  He 
bade  Alms  to  be  given  in 
secret'' ;  it  being  otherwise 
one  of  His  commandments, 
that  our  light  should  shine 
hefore  nun  v  this  is  more  ex- 
cellent, that  is  more  safe. 

5.  To  this  also  appertains, 
that  he  who  hath  done  a 
good  turn,  should  so  forget 
it,  as  not  to  speak  of  it™ ;  but 
he  that  boasts  it  or  upbraids 

Rom.  xii.  8.     i  Matth.  vi.  1.     ^  lb.  4. 


'Matt.  V.  16.      ™  Qui  dedit  beneficium,taceat ;  narret,  qui  accepit.    5^. 


236  OF  ALMS. 


it,  hath  paid  himself,  and 
lost  the  nobleness  of  the 
charity. 

7.  Give  Alms  with  a 
cheerful  heart  and  counte- 
nance, not  grudgingly  or  of 
oiecessity,  for  God  loveth  a 
cheerfid  giver^,  and  there- 
fore give  quickly  when  the 
power  is  in  thy  hand,  and 
the  need  is  in  thy  Neigh- 
bour, and  thy  Neighbour  at 
thy  door.  He  gives  twice, 
that  relieves  speedily. 

8.  According  to  thy  abi- 
lity give  to  all  men  that 
need « :  and,  in  equal  needs, 
give  first  to  good  men,  rather 
than  to  bad  men  p;  and  if  the 
needs  be  unequal  do  so  too  ; 
provided  that  the  need  of 
the  poorest  be  not  violent  or 
extreme  :  but  if  an  evil  man 
be  in  extreme  necessity,  he 
is  to  be  relieved  rather  than 
a  good  man  who  can  tarry 
longer,  and  may  subsist 
without  it.  And  if  he  be  a 
good  man,  he  will  desire  it 
should  be  so  :  because  him- 
self is  bound  to  save  the  life 
of  his  brother  with  doing 
some  inconvenience  to  him- 
self: and  no  diiFerence  of 
virtue  or  vice  can  make  the 
ease  of  one  beggar  equal 
with  the  life  of  another. 

9.  Give  no  Alms  to  vici- 


ous persons,  if  such  Alms 
will  support  their  sin  :  as  if 
they  will  continue  in  idle- 
ness, ("  if  they  will  not  work, 
neither  let  them  eat  v")  or  if 
they  will  spend  it  in  drunk- 
enness, or  wantonness :  such 
persons,  when  they  are  re- 
duced to  very  great  want, 
must  be  relieved  in  such 
proportions  as  may  not  re- 
lieve their  dying  lust,  but 
may  refresh  their  faint  or 
dying  bodies. 

10.  The  best  objects  of 
charity  are  poor  housekeep- 
ers, that  labour  hard,  and 
are  burdened  with  many 
children ;  or  Gentlemen 
fallen  into  sad  poverty, 
especially  if  by  innocent 
misfortune,  (and  if  their 
crimes  brought  them  into 
it,  yet  they  are  to  be  reliev- 
ed according  to  the  former 
rule  ;)  persecuted  persons, 
widows,  and  fatherless  chil- 
dren, putting  them  to  ho- 
nest trades  or  schools  of 
learning.  And  search  into 
the  needs  of  numerous  and 
meaner  families  "^ :  for  there 
are  many  persons  that  have 
nothing  left  them  but  mise- 
ry and  modesty ;  and  to- 
wards such  we  must  add  two 
circumstances  of  Charity. 
1.    To    enquire    them   out. 


Cor.  ix.  7.  °  Luke  vi.  30. 

s  2  Thess.  iii.  10. 


P  Gal.  vi.  10. 
Psal.  xli.  1. 


OF  ALMS.  237 


2.  To  convey  our  relief  un-  j 
to  them    so   as   we  do  not 
make  them  ashamed. 

11.  Give,  looking  for  no-  j 
thing  again  s ;  that  is,  with- 
out consideration  of  future  ' 
advantages:  give  to  children, 
to  old  men,  to  the  unthank- 
ful, and  the  dying,  and  to 
those  you  shall  never  see 
again  :  for  else  your  Alms 
or  courtesy  is  not  charity,  ! 
but  traffick  and  merchan- 
dise :  and  be  sure  that  you 
omit  not  to  relieve  the  needs 
of  your  enemy  and  the  in- 
iurious  ;  for  so  possibly  you 
may  win  him  to  yourself ; 
but  do  you  intend  the  win- 
ning him  to  God. 

12.  Trust  not  your  Alms 
to  intermedial,  uncertain, 
and  under-dispensers :  by 
which  rule  is  not  only  in- 
tended the  securing  your 
Alms  in  the  right  channel ; 
but  the  humility  of  your 
person,  and  that  which  the 
Apostle  calls  the  labour  of 
love\  And  if  you  converse 
in  Hospitals  and  Alms- 
houses, and  minister  with 
your  own  hand  what  your 
heart  hath  first  decreed  ; 
you  will  find  your  heart 
endeared  and  made  fami- 
liar with  the  needs  and  with 
the   persons   of  the    poor ; 


those   excellent   images   of 
Chi'ist. 

13.  Whatsoever  is  super- 
fluous in  thy  estate,  is  to  be 
dispensed  in  Alms.  He  that 
hath  two  coats  must  give  to 
him  that  hath  none  "  /  that  is, 
he  that  hath  beyond  his  need, 
must  give  that  which  is  be- 
yond it.  Only,  among  needs 
we  are  to  reckon,  not  only 
what  will  support  our  life, 
but  also  what  will  maintain 
the  decency  of  our  estate 
and  person  ;  not  only  in 
present  needs,  but  in  all 
future  necessities,  and  very 
probable  contingencies ;  but 
no  further  :  we  are  not  ob- 
liged beyond  this,  unless  we 
see  very  great,  public,  and 
calamitous  necessities.  But 
yet,  if  we  do  extend  beyond 
our  measures,  and  give  more 
than  we  are  able,  we  have 
the  Philippvans'^  and  many 
holy  persons  for  our  prece- 
dent, we  have  S.  Paul  for 
our  encouragement  y,  we 
have  Christ  for  our  coun- 
sellor, we  have  God  for  our 
rewarder,  and  a  great  trea- 
sure in  Heaven  for  our  re- 
compence  and  restitution. 
But  I  propound  it  to  the 
consideration  of  all  Christian 
people,  that  they  be  not 
nice  and  curious,  fond  and 


»  Luke  vi.  35.  *  1  Thess.  i,  3. 

»  2  Cor.  viii.  1—4;  Phil.  iv.  15. 


■»  Luke  iii.  11. 
y  lb.  and  2  Cor.  xii.  14,  15. 


238 


OF  ALMS. 


indulgent  to  themselves,  in 
taking  accounts  of  their  per- 
sonal conveniences ;  and 
that  they  make  their  pro- 
portions moderate  and  easy, 
according  to  the  order  and 
manner  of  Christianity  :  and 
the  consequent  will  be  this ; 
that  the  poor  will  more 
plentifully  be  relieved, 
themselves  will  be  more 
able  to  do  it,  and  the  duty 
will  be  less  chargeable,  and 
the  owners  of  estates  charg- 
ed with  fewer  accounts  in  the 
spending  them.  It  cannot 
be  denied,  but  in  the  ex- 
penses of  all  liberal  and 
great  personages  many 
things  might  be  spared ; 
some  superfluous  servants, 
some  idle  meetings,  some 
unnecessary  and  imprudent 
feasts,  some  garments  too 
costly,  some  unnecessary 
law-suits,  some  vain  jour- 
neys :  and  when  we  are 
tempted  to  such  needless 
expenses,  if  we  shall  descend 
to  moderation,  and  lay  aside 
the  surplusage,  we  shall  find 
it  with  more  profit  to  be 
laid  out  upon  the  poor  mem- 
bers of  Christ,  than  upon 
our  own  with  vanity.  But 
this  is  only  intended  to  be 
an  advice  in  the  matter  of 
doing  Alms  :  for  I  am  not 
ignorant  that  great  variety 
of  clothes  always  have  been 
permitted   to  Princes,  and 


Nobility,  and  others  in  their 
proportion ;  and  they  usu- 
ally give  those  clothes  as 
rewards  to  servants,  and 
other  persons  needful 
enough,  and  then  they  may 
serve  their  own  fancy  and 
their  duty  too :  but  it  is  but 
reason  and  Religion  to  be 
careful  that  they  be  given 
to  such  only,  where  duty, 
or  prudent  liberality,  or 
alms,  determine  them  ;  but 
in  no  sense  let  them  do  it 
I  so  as  to  minister  to  vanity, 
I  to  luxury,  to  prodigality. 
j  The  like  also  is  to  be  ob- 
j  served  in  other  instances. 
And  if  we  once  give  our 
minds  to  the  study  and  arts 
of  Alms,  we  shall  find  ways 
enough  to  make  this  duty 
easy,  profitable,  and  useful. 

1.  He  that  plays  at  any 
game,  must  resolve  before- 
hand to  be  indifferent  to 
win  or  lose  :  but  if  he  gives 
to  the  poor  all  that  he  wins, 
it  is  better  than  to  keep  it 
to  himself :  but  it  were  bet- 
ter yet,  that  he  lay  by  so 

j  much  as  he   is  willing   to 

!  lose,  and  let  the  game  alone, 

and  by  giving  so  much  Alms 

traffick  for  eternity.     That 

is  one  way. 

2.  Another  is,  keeping  the 
fasting  days  of  the  Church ; 
which,  if  our  condition  be 
such  as  to  be  able  to  cast 
our    accounts,    and    make 


OF  ALMS. 


239 


abatements  for  our  wanting 
so  many  meals  in  the  whole 
year,  (which  by  the  old  ap- 
pointment did  amount  to 
153,  and  since  most  of  them 
are  fallen  into  desuetude, 
we  may  make  up  as  many 
of  them  as  we  please  by 
voluntary  Fasts,)  we  may 
from  hence  find  a  consider- 
able relief  for  the  poor.  But 
if  we  be  not  willing  some- 
times to  fast  that  our  brother 
may  eat,  we  should  ill  die 
for  him.  S.  Martin  had 
given  all  that  he  had  in  the 
world  to  the  poor,  save  one 
coat  ;  and  that  also  he  di- 
vided between  two  beggars. 
A  Father  in  the  Mount  of 
Nitria  was  reduced  at  last 
to  the  inventory  of  one 
Testament,  and  that  book 
also  was  tempted  from  him 
by  the  needs  of  one  whom 
he  thought  poorer  than  him- 
self. Greater  yet  :  S.  Pauli- 
nus  sold  himself  to  slavery 
to  redeem  a  young  man,  for 
whose  captivity  his  Mother 
wept  sadly :  and  it  is  said 
that  S.  Katharine  sucked 
the  envenomed  wounds  of  a 
villain  who  had  injured  her 
most  impudently.  And  I 
shall  tell  you  of  a  greater 
Charity  than  all  these  put 
together :  Christ  gave  Him- 
self to  shame  and  death  to 
redeem   His  enemies    fi-om 


3.  Learn  of  the  frugal 
man,  and  only  avoid  sordid 
actions,  and  turn  good  hus- 
band, and  change  your  arts 
of  getting  into  providence 
for  the  poor,  and  we  shall 
soon  become  rich  in  good 
works  :  and  why  should  we 
not  do  as  much  for  charity, 
as  for  covetousness ;  for 
Heaven,  as  for  the  fading 
world ;  for  God  and  the 
Holy  Jesns,  as  for  the  need- 
less superfluities  of  back 
and  belly  ? 

14.  In  giving  Alms  to 
beggars  and  persons  of  that 
low  rank,  it  is  better  to  give 
little  to  each,  that  we  may 
give  to  the  more  ;  so  ex- 
tending our  alms  to  many 
persons  :  but  in  charities  of 
Religion,  as  building  Hos- 
pitals, Colleges,  and  Houses 
for  Devotion,  and  supplying 
the  accidental  wants  of  de- 
cayed persons,  fallen  from 
great  plenty  to  great  neces- 
sity, it  is  better  to  unite  our 
Alms  than  to  disperse  them  ; 
to  make  a  noble  relief  or 
maintenance  to  one,  and  to 
restore  him  to  comfort,  than 
to  support  only  his  natural 
needs,  and  keep  him  alive 
only,  unrescued  from  sad 
discomforts. 

15.  The  Precept  of  Alms 
or  Charity  binds  not  inde- 
finitely to  all  the  instances 
and  kinds  of  Charity  :   for 


240 


or  ALMS. 


he  that  delights  to  feed  the 
poor,  and  spends  all  his 
portion  that  way,  is  not 
bound  to  enter  into  prisons 
and  redeem  captives :  but 
we  are  obliged  by  the  pre- 
sence of  circumstances,  and 
the  special  disposition  of 
Providence,  and  the  piti- 
ableness  of  an  object,  to  this 
or  that  particular  act  of 
charity.  The  eye  is  the 
sense  of  mercy,  and  the 
bowels  are  its  organ ;  and 
that  enkindles  pity,  and  pity 
produces  alms  :  when  the 
eye  sees  what  it  never  saw, 
the  heart  icill  think  ivhat  it 
never  thought :  but  when 
we  have  an  object  present 
to  our  eye,  then  we  must 
pity  ;  for  there  the  Provi- 
dence of  God  hath  fitted 
our  charity  with  circum- 
stances. He  that  is  in  thy 
sight  or  in  thy  neighbour- 
hood, is  fallen  into  the  lot 
of  thy  charity. 

16.  If  thou  hast  no  money, 
yet  thou  must  have  mercy  ^  ; 
and  art  bound  to  pity  the 
poor,  and  pray  for  them, 
and  throw  thy  holy  desires 
and  devotions  into  the  trea- 
sure of  the  Church  :  and  if 
thou  doest  what  thou  art 
able,  be  it  little  or  great, 
corporal    or    spiritual,   the 


charity  of  Alms  or  the  cha- 
rity of  prayers,  a  cup  of 
wine  or  a  cup  of  watery  if 
it  be  but  love  to  the  brethren^, 
or  a  desire  to  help  all  or  any 
of  Christ's  poor  ;  it  shall  be 
accepted  according  to  what  a 
man  hath,  not  according  to 
what  he  hath  not"".  For  love 
is  all  this,  and  all  the  other 
Commandments  :  and  it  will 
express  itself,  where  it  can ; 
and  where  it  cannot,  yet  it 
is  love  still,  and  it  is  also 
sorrow  that  it  cannot. 

Motives  to  Charity. 

The  motives  to  this  duty 
are  such  as  Holy  Scripture 
hath  propounded  to  us,  by 
way  of  consideration  and 
proposition  of  its  excellen- 
cies and  consequent  reward. 
1.  There  is  no  one  duty 
which  our  blessed  Saviour 
did  recommend  to  His  Dis- 
ciples with  so  repeated  an 
injunction,  as  this  of  Cha- 
rity and  Alms  ^.  To  which 
add  the  words  spoken  by  our 
Lord,  It  is  better  to  give  than 
to  receive^.  And  when  we 
consider  how  great  a  bless- 
ing it  is,  that  we  beg  not 
from  door  to  door  ;  it  is  a 
ready  instance  of  our  thank- 
fulness to  God,  for  His  sake 
to    relieve    them   that   do. 


'  Luke  xii.  42;  Acts  iii.  6.  ^  Matth.  x.  42;  Mark  ix.  41. 

^  1  Pet.  i.  22.  =  2  Cor.  viii.  12. 

^  Matth.  vi.  4  ;  xix.  21  ;  xv.  32  ;  Luke  xi.  41 ;  xii.  33.    «  Acts  xx.  35. 


OP  ALMS.  241 

we  do  to  our  poor  brother '  ; 
and  therefore,  when  a  poor 
man  begs  for  Christ  His 
sake,  if  he  have  reason  to 
ask  for  Christ  His  sake,  give 
it  him  if  thou  canst.  Now 
every  man  hath  title  to  ask 
for  Christ's  sake,  whose  need 
is  great,  and  himself  unable 
to  cure  it,  and  if  the  man 
be  a  Christian,  Whatsoever 
charity  Christ  will  reward, 
all  that  is  given  for  Christ's 
sake  ;  and  therefore  it  may 
be  asked  in  His  name  :  but 
every  man,  that  uses  that 
sacred  name  for  an  endear- 
ment, hath  not  a  title  to  it ; 
neither  he,  nor  his  need. 
7.  It  is  one  of  the  wings  of 
prayer,  by  which  it  flies  to 
the  throne  of  grace"".  8.  It 
crowns  all  the  works  of 
piety.  9.  It  causes  thanks- 
giving to  God  on  our  be- 
half". 10.  And  the  bowels 
of  the  poor  bless  us,  and 
they  pray  for  us°.  11.  And 
that  portion  of  our  estate, 
out  of  which  a  tenth,  or  a 
fifth,  or  a  twentieth,  or  some 
ofiering  to  God  for  Religion 
and  the  poor,  goes  forth, 
certainly  returns  with  a 
great  blessing?  upon  all  the 
resfi.  It  is  like  the  eflfusion 

f  Matt.  XXV.  34—46.  e  Phil.  iv.  17. 

»>  Acts  X.  4  ;  Heb.  xiii.  16  ;  Dan.  iv.  27.  '  Matt.  xix.  21. 

^  Lake  xvi.  9.  '  Matt.  xxv.  40.  ™  Acts  x.  4. 

-  2  Cor.  ix.  12,  ]3.  »  lb.  14.  p  lb.  10. 

"^  Nunquain  memini  me  legisse  mala  morte  mortuum,  qui  libenter 

opera  charitatis  exercuit.     S.  Hieron.  Ep.  ad  Nepot. 

M 


2.  This  duty  is  that  alone, 
whereby  the  future  day  of 
Judgment  shall  be  transact- 
ed. For  nothing  but  Cha- 
rity and  Alms  is  that  where- 
by Christ  shall  declare  the 
Justice  and  mercy  of  the 
eternal  sentence '.  Martyr- 
dom itself  is  not  there  ex- 
pressed ;  and  no  otherwise 
involved,  but  as  it  is  the 
greatest  Charity.  3.  Christ 
made  Himself  the  greatest 
and  daily  example  of  Alms 
or  Charity,  He  went  up 
and  down  doing  good, 
preaching  the  Gospel,  and 
healing  all  diseases :  and 
God  the  Father  is  imitable 
by  us  in  nothing  but  in 
purity  and  mercy.  4.  Alms 
given  to  the  poor  redound 
to  the  emolument  of  the 
Giver  both  temporal  and 
eternal^.  5,  They  are  in- 
strumental to  the  remission 
of  sinsh  :  our  forgiveness 
and  mercy  to  others  being 
made  the  very  rule  and  pro- 
portion of  our  confidence 
and  hope  and  our  prayer  to 
be  forgiven  ourselves.  6.  It 
is  a  treasure  in  Heaven  i ; 
it  procures  friends  when  we 
die^^.  6.  It  is  reckoned  as 
done  to   Christ  whatsoever 


242  or  ] 

of  oil  by  the  Sidonian  wo- 
man ;  as  long  as  she  pours 
into  empty  vessels,  it  could 
never  cease  running  ■■ :  or 
like  the  widow's  barrel  of 
meal  ;  it  consumes  not  as 
long  as  she  fed  the  pro- 
phets 12.  The  sum  of  all 
is  contained  in  the  words  of 
our  blessed  Saviour;  Give 
alms  of  such  things  as  you 
have  ;  and,  behold,  all  things 
are  clean  unto  you^.  13.  To 
which  may  be  added,  that 
charity  or  mercy  is  the  pe- 
culiar character  of  God's 
Elect,  and  a  sign  of  predes- 
tination; which  advantage 
we  are  taught  by  S.  Paid  : 
"Put  on  therefore  as  the 
elect  of  God,  holy  and  be- 
loved, bowels  of  mercy,  kind- 
ness, he.  Forbearing  oyie 
another,  and  forgiving  one 
another,  if  any  man  have  a 
quarrel  against  any^."  The 
result  of  all  which  we  may 
read  in  the  words  of  S.  Chry- 
sostom  :  To  know  the  art  of 
Alms,  is  greater  thati  to  be 
crowned  with  the  Diadem  of 
Kings.  Aiid  yet  to  convert 
07U  Soul  is  greater  than  to 
pour  out  ten  thousand  talents 
into  the  baskets  of  the  poor. 

But  because  giving  Alms 
is  an  act  of  the  virtue  of 
mercifulness,  our  endeavour 

"■  2  Kings  iv.  6. 
*  Luke  xi.  41. 


must  be  by  proper  arts  to 
mortify  the  parents  of  un- 
mercifulness  ;  which  are,  1. 
Envy,  2.  Anger,  3.  Covet- 
ousness  :  in  which  we  may 
be  helped  by  the  following 
rules  or  instruments. 

Rem-edies  against  Unmerci- 
fulness  and  Uncharitable- 

ness. 

1 .  Against  Envy,  by  way  of 
consideration. 

Against  Envy  I  shall  use 
the  same  arguments  I  would 
use  to  persuade  a  man  from 
the  fever  or  the  dropsy.  1. 
Because  it  is  a  disease :  it 
is  so  far  from  having  plea- 
sure in  it,  or  a  temptation 
to  it,  that  it  is  full  of  pain, 
a  great  instrument  of  vexa- 
tion ;  it  eats  the  flesh,  and 
dries  up  the  marrow,  and 
makes  hollow  eyes,  and  lean 
cheeks,  and  a  pale  face.  2. 
It  is  nothing  but  a  direct 
resolution  never  to  enter 
into  Heaven  by  the  way  of 
noble  pleasure  taken  in  the 
good  of  others.  3.  It  is 
most  contrary  to  God :  4. 
And  a  just  contrary  state 
to  the  felicities  and  actions 
of  Heaven  ;  where  every 
star  increases  the  light  of 
the  other,  and   the   multi- 

»  1  Kings  xvii.  15,  16 
»  Coloss.  iii.  12.  13. 


tude  of  guests  at  the  supper 
of  the  Lamb  makes  the  eter- 
nal meal  more  festival.  5. 
It  is  perfectly  the  state  of 
Hell,  and  the  passion  of 
Devils  :  for  they  do  nothing 
but  despair  in  themselves, 
and  envy  others  quiet  or 
safety,  and  yet  cannot  re- 
joice either  in  their  good  or 
in  their  evil,  although  they 
endeavour  to  hinder  that, 
and  procure  this,  with  all 
the  devices  and  arts  of  ma- 
lice and  of  a  great  under- 
standing. 6.  Envy  can  serve 
no  end  in  the  world  ;  it  can- 
not please  any  thing,  nor  do 
any  thing,  nor  hinder  any 
thing,  but  the  content  and 
felicity  of  him  that  hath  it. 
7.  Envy  can  never  pretend 
to  justice,  as  hatred  and 
uncharitableness  sometimes 
may :  for  there  may  be 
causes  of  hatred  ;  and  I 
may  have  wrong  done  me, 
and  then  hatred  hath  some 
pretence,  though  no  just 
argument.  Bat  no  man  is 
unjust  or  injurious,  for  being 
prosperous  or  wise.  8.  And 
therefore  many  men  profess 
to  hate  another,  but  nn  'man 
owns  envy,  as  being  an  en- 
mity and  displeasure  for  no 
cause  but  goodness  or  feli- 
city :  Envious  men  being 
like  CantJiarides  and  Cater- 
pillars, that  delight  most  to 
devour  ripe  and  most  excel- 

M 


rvY.  243 

lent  fruits.  9.  It  is  of  all 
crimes  the  basest  :  for  ma- 
lice and  anger  are  appeased 
with  benefits,  but  envy  is 
exasperated,  as  envying  to 
fortunate  persons  both  their 
power  and  their  will  to  do 
good  ;  and  never  leaves  mur- 
muring till  the  envied  per- 
son be  levelled,  and  then 
only  the  Vulture  leaves  to 
eat  the  liver.  For  if  his 
Neighbour  be  made  mise- 
rable, the  envious  man  is 
apt  to  be  troubled  :  like  him 
that  is  so  long  unbuilding 
the  turrets  till  all  the  roof 
is  low  or  flat,  or  that  the 
stones  fall  upon  the  lower 
buildings,  and  do  a  mischief 
that  the  man  repents  of. 

2.  Remedies  against  Anger 
by  wag  of  Exercise, 

The  next  enemy  to  mer- 
cifulness and  the  grace  of 
Alms  is  Anger :  against 
which  there  are  proper  in- 
struments both  in  Prudence 
and  Religion. 

1.  Prayer  is  the  great 
remedy  against  Anger  :  IVir 
it  must  suppose  it  in  some 
degree  removed  before  Ave 
pray,  and  then  it  is  the 
more  likely  it  will  be  finish- 
ed when  the  prayer  is  done. 
We  must  lay  aside  the  act 
of  Anger,  as  a  preparatory 
to  prayer  ;  and  the  curing 
the  habit  will  be  the  eflect 


244 


OP  ANGEB. 


and  blessing  of  prayer  :  so 
that  if  a  man,  to  cure  his 
anger,  resolves  to  address 
himself  to  God  by  prayer,  it 
is  first  necessary  that  by  his 
own  observation  and  dili- 
gence he  lay  the  anger  aside, 
before  his  prayer  can  be  fit 
to  be  presented  :  and  when 
we  so  pray,  and  so  en- 
deavour, we  have  all  the 
blessings  of  prayer  which 
God  hath  promised  to  it,  to 
be  our  security  for  success. 

2.  If  Anger  arises  in  thy 
breast,  instantly  seal  up  thy 
lips,  and  let  it  not  go  forth  ^ : 
for,  like  fire  when  it  wants 
vent,  it  will  suppress  itself. 
It  is  good  in  a  Fever  to 
have  a  tender  and  a  smooth 
tongue  ;  but  it  is  better  that 
it  be  so  in  anger  :  for  if  it 
be  rough  and  distempered, 
there  it  is  an  ill  sign,  but 
here  it  is  an  ill  cause.  Angry 
passion  is  a  fire,  and  angry 
words  are  like  breath  to  fan 
them  ;  together  they  are 
like  steel  and  flint  sending 
out  fire  by  mutual  collision. 
Some  men  will  discourse 
themselves  into  passion,  and 
if  their  neighbour  be  en- 
kindled too,  together  they 
flame  with  rage  and  violence. 

3.  Humility  is  the  most 
excellent  natural  cure  for 
anger  in  the  world  :  for  he 
that    by   daily   considering 

*  Psalm  xxxix.  1,  2. 


his  own  infirmities  and  fail- 
ings makes  the  error  of  his 
neighbour  or  servant  to  be 
his  own  case,  and  remem- 
bers that  he  daily  needs 
God's  pardon  and  his  bro- 
ther's charity,  will  not  be 
apt  to  rage  at  the  levities, 
or  misfortunes,  or  indiscre- 
tions, of  another ;  greater 
than  which  he  considers 
that  he  is  very  frequently 
and  more  inexcusably  guilty 
of. 

4.  Consider  the  example 
of  the  ever  blessed  Jesus, 
who  sufiered  all  the  contra- 
dictions of  sinners  ",  and  re- 
ceived all  aflronts  and  re- 
proaches of  malicious,  rash, 
and  foolish  persons  ;  and 
yet  in  all  them  was  as  dis- 
passionate and  gentle  as  the 
morning  Sun  in  Autumn  : 
and  in  this  also  He  pro- 
pounded Himself  imitable 
by  us.  For  if  innocence  it- 
self did  suffer  so  great  in- 
juries and  disgraces,  it  is 
no  great  matter  for  us 
quietly  to  receive  all  the 
calamities  of  fortune,  and 
indiscretion  of  servants,  and 
mistakes  of  friends,  and  un- 
kindnesses  of  kindred,  and 
rudenesses  of  enemies ;  since 
we  have  deserved  these  and 
worse,  even  Hell  itself. 

5.  If  we  be  tempted  to 
Anger  in  the  Actions  of  go- 

»  Heb.  xii.  3. 


OF  ANGER. 


245 


vernment  and  Discipline  to 
our  inferiors,  (in  which  case 
anger  is  permitted  so  far  as 
it  is  prudently  instrumental 
to  government,  and  only  is 
a  sin  when  it  is  excessive 
and  unreasonable,  and  apt 
to  disturb  our  own  discourse, 
or  to  express  itself  in  im- 
prudent words  or  violent 
actions  ;)  let  us  propound 
to  ourselves  the  example  of 
God  the  Father  ;  Who  at 
the  same  time  and  with  the 
same  tranquillity  decreed 
Heaven  and  Hell,  the  joys 
of  blessed  Angels  and  Souls, 
and  the  torments  of  devils 
and  accursed  spirits :  and 
at  the  day  of  Judgment, 
when  all  the  World  shall 
burn  under  his  feet,  God 
shall  not  be  at  all  inflamed, 
or  shaken  in  His  essential 
seat  and  centre  of  tranquil- 
lity and  joy.  And  if  at  first 
the  cause  seems  reasonable, 
yet  defer  to  execute  thy 
anger  till  thou  mayest  better 
judge.  For,  as  PJiocion  told 
the  Athenians,  who  upon 
the  first  news  of  the  death 
of  Alexander  were  ready  to 
revolt,  Stay  a  while,  for  if 
the  King  be  not  dead,  your 
haste  will  ruin  you  ;  but  if 
he  be  dead,  your  stay  cannot 
prejudice  your  affairs,  for 
he  will  be  dead  tomorrow 
as  well  as  today  :  so,  if  thy 


servant  or  inferior  deserve 
punishment,  staying  till  to- 
morrow will  not  make  him 
innocent ;  but  it  may  pos- 
sibly preserve  thee  so,  by 
preventing  thy  striking  a 
guiltless  person,  or  being 
fiu-ious  for  a  trifle. 

6.  Eemove  from  thyself 
all  provocations  and  incen- 
tives to  Anger ;  especially 

1.  Games  of  chance,  and 
great  wagers,  Patroclus 
killed  his  friend,  the  son  of 
Amphidamas,  in  his  rage 
and  sudden  fury,  rising 
upon  a  cross  game  at  tables. 
Such  also  are  petty  curiosi- 
ties and  worldly  business 
and  carefulness  about  it  : 
but  manage  thyself  with  in- 
difierency,  or  contempt  of 
those  external  things,  and 
do  not  spend  a  passion  upon 
them  ;  for  it  is  more  than 
they  are  worth.  But  they 
that  desire  but  few  things, 
can  be  crossed  but  in  a  few  ^ . 

2.  In  not  heaping  up  with 
an  ambitious  or  curious  pro- 
digality any  very  curious  or 
choice  utensils,  seals,  jewels, 
glasses,  precious  stones  ; 
because  those  very  many 
accidents,  which  happen  in 
the  spoiling  or  loss  of  these 
rarities,  are  in  event  an 
irresistible  cause  of  violent 
anger.  3.  Do  not  entertain 
nor  sufier  tale-bearers  :  for 


y    Qui  panca  requirunt,  noa  multis  excid'.mt.  Plut. 


246 


OF  ANGER. 


they  abuse  our  ear  first,  and 
then  our  credulity,  and  then 
steal  our  patience  ;  and  it 
may  be  for  a  lie :  and  if  it 
be  true,  the  matter  is  not 
considerable ;  or  if  it  be, 
yet  it  is  pardonable.  And 
we  may  always  escape  with 
patience  at  one  of  these  out- 
lets :  either  1.  By  not  hear- 
ing slanders,  or  2.  by  not 
believing  them,  or  3.  by  not 
regarding  the  thing,  or  4, 
by  forgiving  the  person. 
4.  To  this  purpose  also  it 
may  serve  well  if  we  choose 
(as  much  as  we  can)  to  live 
with  peaceable  persons  ;  for 
that  prevents  the  occasions 
of  confusion  :  and  if  we  live 
with  prudent  persons,  they 
Avill  not  easily  occasion  our 
disturbance.  But  because 
these  things  are  not  in  many 
men's  power,  therefore  I 
propound  this  rather  as  a 
felicity  than,  a  remedy  or  a 
duty,  and  an  art  of  preven- 
tion rather  than  of  cure. 

7.  Be  not  inquisitive  into 
the  affairs  of  other  men,  nor 
the  faults  of  thy  servants, 
nor  the  mistakes  of  thy 
friends  ;  but  what  is  offered 
to  you,  use  according  to  the 
former  rules  ;  but  do  not 
thou  go  out  to  gather  sticks 
to  kindle  a  fire  to  burn 
thine  own  house.  And  add 
this  ;  If  my  friend  said  or 


did  well  in  that  for  which  I 
am  angry,  I  am  in  the  fault, 
not  he  ;  but  if  he  did  amiss, 
he  is  in  the  misery,  not  I : 
for  either  he  was  deceived, 
or  he  was  malicious ;  and 
either  of  them  both  is  all 
one  with  a  miserable  per- 
son :  and  that  is  an  object 
of  pity,  not  of  anger. 

8.  Use  all  reasonable  dis- 
courses to  excuse  the  faults 
of  others  ;  considering  that 
there  are  many  circum- 
stances of  time,  of  person, 
of  accident,  of  inadvertency, 
of  iufrequency,  of  aptness 
to  amend,  of  sorrow  for  doing 
it :  and  it  is  well  that  we 
take  any  good  in  exchange ; 
for  the  evil  is  done  or  suf- 
fered. 

9.  Upon  the  rising  of 
anger,  instantly  enter  into 
a  deep  consideration  of  the 
joys  of  Heaven,  or  the  pains 
of  Hell  :  for  fear  and  joy 
are  naturally  apt  to  appease 
this  violence'^- 

10.  In  contentions  be  al-    j 
ways  passive,  never  active  ;    I 
upon  the  defensive,  not  the    • 
assaulting  part  :  and  then 
also  give  a  gentler  answer, 
receiving  the  furies  and  in- 
discretions of  the  other  like 
a  stone  into  a  bed  of  moss 
and  soft  compliance ;   and 
you  shall  find  it  sit  down 
quietly :  whereas  anger  and 


OF  ANGER. 


247 


violence  makes  the  conten- 
tion loud  and  long,  and  in- 
jurious to  both  the  parties. 

11.  In  the  actions  of  Re- 
ligion be  careful  to  temper 
all  thy  instances  with  meek- 
ness, and  the  proper  instru- 
ments of  it  :  and  if  thou 
beest  apt  to  be  angry,  nei- 
ther fast  violently,  nor 
entertain  the  too-forward 
heats  of  zeal  ;  but  secure 
thy  duty  with  constant  and 
regular  actions,  and  a  good 
temper  of  body  with  conve- 
nient refreshments  and  re- 
creations. 

12.  If  Anger  rises  sud- 
denly and  violently,  first 
restrain  it  with  considera- 
tion, and  then  let  it  end  in 
a  hearty  prayer  for  him 
that  did  the  real  or  seeming 
injury.  The  former  of  the 
two  stops  its  growth,  and 
the  latter  quite  kills  it, 
and  makes  amends  for  its 
monstrous  and  involuntary 
birth. 

Remedies  against  Anger,  ly 
way  of  consideration. 

1.  Consider  that  Anger 
is  a  professed  enemy  to 
Counsel  ;  it  is  a  direct 
storm,  in  which  no  man  can 
be  heard  to  speak  or  call 
from  without :  for  if  you 
counsel  gently,  you  are  de- 
spised ;  if  you  urge  it  and 
be  vehement,  you  provoke 


it  more.  Be  careful  there- 
fore to  lay  up  beforehand  a 
great  stock  of  reason  and 
prudent  consideration,  that 
like  a  besieged  town  you 
may  be  provided  for,  and 
be  defensible  from  within, 
since  you  are  not  likely  to 
be  relieved  from  without. 
Anger  is  not  to  be  suppres- 
sed but  by  something  that 
is  as  inward  as  itself,  and 
more  habitual.  To  which 
purpose  add,  that,  2.  Of  all 
passions  it  endeavours  most 
to  make  Reason  useless.  3. 
That  it  is  an  universal  poi- 
son, of  an  infinite  object  : 
for  no  man  was  ever  so  amo- 
rous, as  to  love  a  Toad  ; 
none  so  envious,  as  to  re- 
pine at  the  condition  of  the 
miserable  ;  no  man  so  timo- 
rous, as  to  fear  a  dead  Bee  ; 
but  Anger  is  troubled  at 
every  thing,  and  every  man, 
and  every  accident ;  and 
therefore,  unless  it  be  sup- 
pressed, it  will  make  a  man's 
condition  restless.  4.  If  it 
proceeds  from  a  great  cause, 
it  turns  to  fury  ;  if  from  a 
small  cause,  it  is  peevish- 
ness :  and  so  is  always 
either  terrible,  or  ridicu- 
lous. 5.  It  makes  a  man's 
body  monstrous,  deformed, 
and  contemptible ;  the  voice 
horrid  ;  the  eyes  cruel ;  the 
face  pale  or  fiery  ;  the  gait 
fierce ;  the  speech  clamor- 


248 


or  ANGER. 


ous  and  loud.  6.  It  is  nei- 
ther manly,  nor  ingenuous. 

7.  It  proceeds  from  softness 
of  spirit  and  pusillanimity  ; 
which  makes  that  women 
are  more  angry  than  men, 
sick  persons  more  than  the 
healthful,  old  men  more 
than  young,  unprosperous 
and  calamitous  people  than 
the  blessed  and  fortunate. 

8.  It  is  a  passion  fitter  for 
flies  and  insects,  than  for 
persons  professing  nobleness 
and  bounty.  9.  It  is  trouble- 
some, not  only  to  those  that 
suffer  it,  but  to  them  that 
behold  it  ;  there  being  no 
greater  incivility  of  enter- 
tainment, than  for  the 
cook's  fault,  or  the  negli- 
gence of  the  servants,  to  be 
cruel,  or  outrageous,  or  un- 
pleasant, in  the  presence  of 
the  guests.  10.  It  makes 
marriage  to  be  a  necessary 
and  unavoidable  trouble  ; 
friendships,  and  societies, 
and  familiarities,  to  be  in- 
tolerable. 11.  It  multiplies 
the  evils  of  drunkenness, 
and  makes  the  levities  of 
wine  to  run  into  madness. 
12.  It  makes  innocent  jest- 
ing to  be  the  beginning  of 
tragedies.  13.  It  turns  ' 
friendship  into  hatred  ;  *  it  , 
makes  a  man  lose  himself, 
and  his  Reason,  and  his  ar- 
gument, in  disputation.  *It 
turns  the  desires  of  know-  ! 


ledge  into  an  itch  of  wrang- 
ling. *It  adds  insolency 
to  power.  *It  turns  justice 
into  cruelty,  and  judgment 
into  oppression.  *  It  changes 
discipline  into  tediousness 
and  hatred  of  liberal  insti- 
tution. *  It  makes  a  pros- 
perous man  to  be  envied, 
and  the  unfortunate  to  be 
unpitied.  *  It  is  a  conflu- 
ence of  all  the  irregular 
passions  :  there  is  in  it  envy 
and  sorrow,  fear  and  scorn, 
pride  and  prejudice,  rash- 
ness and  inconsideration, 
rejoicing  in  evil  and  a  de- 
sire to  inflict  it,  self-love, 
impatience,  and  curiosity. 
*And  lastly,  though  it  be 
very  troublesome  to  others, 
yet  it  is  most  troublesome 
to  him  that  hath  it. 

In  the  use  of  these  argu- 
ments and  the  former  exer- 
cises, be  diligent  to  observe, 
lest,  in  your  desires  to  sup- 
press anger,  you  be  passion- 
ate and  angry  at  yourself 
for  being  angry  ;  like  phy- 
sicians, who  give  a  bitter 
potion  when  they  intend  to 
eject  the  bitterness  of  cho- 
ler  ;  for  this  will  provoke 
the  person,  and  increase  the 
passion.  But  placidly  and 
quietly  set  upon  the  morti- 
fication of  it :  and  attempt 
it  first  for  a  day  ;  resolving 
that  day  not  at  all  to  be 
angry,  and  to  be  watchful 


OP  COVETOUSNESS. 


249 


and  observant ;  for  a  day  is 
no  great  trouble  :  but  then, 
after  one  day's  watchfulness 
it  will  be  as  easy  to  watch 
two  days  as  at  first  it  was 
to  watch  one  day ;  and  so 
you  may  increase  till  it  be- 
comes easy  and  habitual. 

Only  observe,  that  such 
an  anger  alone  is  criminal, 
which  is  against  charity  to 
myself  or  my  Neighbour  ; 
but  anger  against  sin  is  a 
holy  zeal%  and  an  effect  of 
love  to  God  and  my  brother, 
for  whose  interest  I  am  pas- 
sionate, like  a  concerned 
person :  and  if  I  take  care 
that  my  anger  makes  no 
reflexion  of  scorn  or  cruelty 
upon  the  offender,  or  of 
pride  and  violence,  or  trans- 
portation to  myself,  anger 
becomes  charity  and  duty. 
And  when  one  commended 
Charilaus,  the  King  of 
Sparta,  for  a  gentle,  a  good, 
and  a  meek  Prince,  his  col- 
league said  well,  How  can 
he  be  good,  who  is  not  an 
enemy  even  to  vicious  per- 
sons ^  ? 

3.  Remedies  against  Covet- 
ousness,  the  third  enemy 
of  Mercy. 

Covetousness  is  also  an 
enemy  to  Alms,  though  not 
to  all  the  effects  of  merci- 
fulness :   but  this  is  to  be 


cured  by  the  proper  motives 
to  charity  before  mentioned, 
and  by  the  proper  rules  of 
justice ;  which  being  se- 
cured, the  arts  of  getting 
money  are  not  easily  made 
criminal.  To  which  also  we 
may  add, 

1.  Covetousness  makes  a 
man  miserable ;  because 
riches  are  not  means  to 
make  a  man  happy  :  and 
unless  felicity  were  to  be 
bought  with  money,  he  is 
a  vain  person  who  admires 
heaps  of  gold  and  rich  pos- 
sessions. For  what  Hippo- 
machus  said  to  some  per- 
sons who  commended  a  tall 
man  as  fit  to  be  a  Champion 
in  the  Olympick  games,  ''  It 
is  true  (said  he)  if  the  crown 
hang  so  high  that  the  long- 
est arm  could  reach  it  ;" 
the  same  we  may  say  con- 
cerning riches  ;  they  were 
excellent  things,  if  the  rich- 
est man  were  certainly  the 
wisest  and  the  best :  but  as 
they  are,  they  are  nothing 
to  be  wondered  at,  because 
they  contribute  nothing  to- 
wards felicity  :  which  ap- 
pears, because  some  men 
choose  to  be  miserable  that 
they  may  be  rich,  rather 
than  be  happy  with  the 
expense  of  money  and  doing 
noble  things. 

2.  Riches  are  useless  and 


Mark  iii.  5. 


Plutar.  de  odio  et  in\idia. 


M  3 


250 


OP  COVETOUSNESS. 


unprofitable  ;  for  beyond 
our  needs  and  conveniences 
nature  knows  no  use  of 
riches  :  and  they  say,  that 
the  Princes  of  Italy ^  when 
they  sup  alone,  eat  out  of  a 
single  dish,  and  drink  in  a 
plain  glass,  and  the  wife 
eats  without  purple ;  for 
nothing  is  more  frugal  than 
the  hack  and  belly,  if  they 
be  used  as  they  should  :  but 
when  they  would  entertain 
the  eyes  of  strangers,  when 
they  are  vain  and  would 
make  a  noise  ;  then  riches 
come  forth  to  set  forth  the 
spectacle,  and  furnish  out 
the  Comedy  of  tvealth,  of 
vanity.  No  man  can  with 
all  the  wealth  in  the  world 
buy  so  much  skill  as  to  be 
a  good  lutenist ;  he  must  go 
the  same  way  that  poor 
people  do,  he  must  learn 
and  take  pains  :  much  less 
can  he  buy  constancy  or 
chastity  or  courage ;  nay,  not 
so  much  as  the  contempt 
of  riches  :  and  by  possess- 
ing more  than  we  need,  we 
cannot  obtain  so  much  power 
over  our  Souls  as  not  to  re- 
quire more.  And  certainly 
riches  must  deliver  me  from 
no  evil,  if  the  possession  of 
them  cannot  take  away  the 
longing  for  them.  If  any 
man  be  thirsty,  drink  cools 
him  ;  if  he  be  hungry,  eat- 
ing meat  satisfies  him  :  and 


when  a  man  is  cold  and 
calls  for  a  warm  cloak,  he 
is  pleased  if  you  give  it 
him  ;  but  you  trouble  him 
if  you  load  him  with  six  or 
eight  cloaks.  Nature  rests 
and  sits  still,  when  she  hath 
her  portion  ;  but  that  which 
exceeds  it,  is  a  trouble  and 
a  burden :  and  therefore 
in  true  philosophy.  No  man 
is  rich  but  he  that  is  poor, 
according  to  the  common 
account :  for,  when  God 
hath  satisfied  those  needs 
which  He  made,  that  is,  all 
that  is  natural ;  whatsoever 
is  beyond  it,  is  thirst  and  a 
disease :  and  unless  it  be 
sent  back  again  in  charity 
or  religion,  can  serve  no 
end  but  vice  or  vanity  :  it 
can  increase  the  appetite  to 
represent  the  man  poorer, 
and  full  of  a  new  and  arti- 
ficial, unnatural  need  ;  but 
it  never  satisfies  the  need  it 
makes,  or  makes  the  man 
richer.  No  wealth  can  sa- 
tisfy the  covetous  desire  of 
wealth. 

3.  Riches  are  trouble- 
some ;  but  the  satisfaction 
of  those  appetites  which 
God  and  Nature  hath  made, 
are  cheap  and  easy :  for 
who  ever  paid  use-money 
for  bread  and  onions  and 
water  to  keep  him  alive  / 
But  when  we  covet  after 
houses  of  the  frame  and  de- 


OF  COVETOUSNESS. 


251 


sign  of  Italy,  or  long  for 
jewels,  or  for  my  next  neigh- 
bour's field,  or  horses  from 
Barbary,  or  the  richest  per- 
fumes of  Arabia,  or  Gala- 
tian  mules,  or  fat  Eunuchs 
for  our  slaves  from  Tunis, 
or  rich  coaches  from  Naples, 
then  we  can  never  be  satis- 
fied till  we  have  the  best 
thing  that  is  fancied,  and 
ail  that  can  be  had,  and  all 
that  can  be  desired,  and 
that  we  can  lust  no  more : 
l)ut  before  we  come  to  the 
one  half  of  our  first  wild 
desires,  we  are  the  bond- 
men of  usurers,  and  of  our 
worse  tyrant  appetites,  and 
the  tortures  of  envy  and 
im])atience.  But  I  consider 
that  those  who  drink  on 
still  when  their  thirst  is 
quenched,  or  eat  after  they 
have  well  dined,  are  forced 
to  vomit  not  only  their  su- 
perfluity, but  even  that 
which  at  first  was  neces- 
sary :  so  those  that  covet 
more  than  they  can  tempe- 
rately use,  are  oftentimes 
forced  to  part  even  Avith 
that  patrimony  which  would 
have  supported  their  per- 
sons in  freedom  and  honour, 
and  have  satisfied  all  their 
reasonable  desire. 

4.  Contentedness  is  there- 
fore health,  because  Covet- 
ousness  is  a  direct  sickness  : 
and  it  was  well  said  of  A  ris- 


ti'pims,  (as  Plutarch  reports 
him)  If  any  man  after  much 
eating  and  drinking  be  still 
unsatisfied,  he  hath  no  need 
of  more  meat  or  more  drink, 
but  of  a  Physician  ;  he  more 
needs  to  be  purged  than 
to  be  filled :  and  therefore 
since  Covetousness  cannot 
be  satisfied,  it  must  be  cured 
by  emptiness  and  evacua- 
tion. The  man  is  without 
remedy,  unless  he  be  re- 
duced to  the  scantling  of 
nature,  and  the  measures  of 
his  personal  necessity.  Give 
to  a  poor  man  a  house,  and 
a  few  cows,  pay  his  little 
debt,  and  set  him  on  work, 
and  he  is  provided  for,  and 
quiet :  but  when  a  man 
enlarges  beyond  a  fair  pos- 
session, and  desires  another 
lordship,  you  spite  him  if 
you  let  him  have  it  ;  for  by 
that  he  is  one  degree  the 
further  ofi"  from  rest  in  his 
desires  and  satisfaction ; 
and  now  he  sees  himself  in 
a  bigger  capacity  to  a  larger 
fortune ;  and  he  shall  never 
find  his  period,  till  j'ou  be- 
gin to  take  away  something 
of  what  he  hatli ;  for  then 
he  will  begin  to  be  glad  to 
keep  that  which  is  left :  but 
reduce  him  to  nature's  mea- 
sures, and  there  he  shall  be 
sure  to  find  rest  :  for  there 
no  man  can  desire  beyond 
his  belly-full,  and  v/hen  he 


252 


OF  COVETOUSNESS. 


wants  that,  any  one  friend 
or  charitable  man  can  cure 
his  poverty  ;  but  all  the 
world  cannot  satisfy  his 
Covetousness. 
5.  Covetousness  is  the  most 
phantastical  and  contradic- 
tory disease  in  the  whole 
world  ;  it  must  therefore  be 
incurable ;  because  it  strives 
against  its  own  cure.  No  man 
therefore  abstains  from  meat, 
because  he  is  hungry  ;  nor 
from  wine,  because  he  loves  it 
and  needs  it :  but  the  covet- 
ous man  does  so :  for  he  desires 
it  passionately,  because  he 
says  he  needs  it ;  and  when 
he  hath  it,  he  will  need  it 
still  ;  because  he  dares  not 
use  it.  He  gets  clothes,  be- 
cause he  cannot  be  without 
them ;  but  when  he  hath 
them,  then  he  can  :  as  if  he 
needed  corn  for  his  granary, 
and  clothes  for  his  wardrobe, 
more  than  for  his  back  and 
belly.  For  Covetousness 
pretends  to  keep  much  to- 
gether for  fear  of  want ;  and 
yet  after  all  his  pains  and 
purchase,  he  suffers  that 
really,  which  at  first  he 
feared  vainly  ;  and  by  not 
using  what  he  gets,  he 
makes  that  suffering  to  be 
actual,  present,  and  neces- 
sary, which  in  his  lowest 
condition  was  but  future, 
contingent,  and  possible.  It 


stirs  up  the  desire,  and 
takes  away  the  pleasure  of 
being  satisfied.  It  increases 
the  appetite,  and  will  not 
content  it:  it  swells  the 
'princiijol  to  no  purpose, 
and  lessens  the  use  to  all 
purposes  ;  disturbing  the 
order  of  nature,  and  the  de- 
signs of  God  ;  making  tno- 
ney  not  to  be  the  instrument 
of  exchange  or  charity,  nor 
corn  to  feed  himself  or  the 
poor,  nor  wool  to  clothe 
himself  or  his  brother,  nor 
wine  to  refresh  the  sadness 
of  the  afflicted,  nor  his  oil 
to  make  his  own  counte- 
nance cheerful  ;  but  all 
these  to  look  upon,  and  to 
tell  over,  and  to  take  ac- 
coimts  by,  and  make  him- 
self considerable,  and  won- 
dered at  by  fools ;  that  while 
he  lives  he  may  be  called 
rich  ;  and  when  he  dies  may 
be  accounted  miserable : 
and  like  the  dish-makers  of 
China,  may  leave  a  greater 
heap  of  dirt  for  his  nephews, 
while  he  himself  hath  a  new 
lot  fallen  to  him  in  the  por- 
tion of  Dives".  But  thus 
the  Ass  carried  wood  and 
sweet  herbs  to  the  Baths, 
but  was  never  washed  or 
perfumed  himself:  he  heap- 
ed up  sweets  for  others, 
while  himself  was  filthy 
with  smoke  and  ashes.  And 


OF  COVETOUSNESS. 


253 


yet  it  is  considerable ;  If 
the  man  can  be  content  to 
feed  hardly,  and  labour  ex- 
tremely, and  watch  care- 
fully, and  suffer  affronts 
and  disgrace,  that  he  may 
get  money  more  than  he 
uses  in  his  temperance  and 
just  needs,  with  how  much 
ease  might  this  man  be 
happy  1  and  with  how  great 
imeasiness  and  trouble  does 
he  make  himself  miserable  ? 
For  he  takes  pains  to  get 
content,  and  when  he  might 
have  it,  he  lets  it  go.  He 
might  better  be  content 
with  a  virtuous  and  quiet 
poverty,  than  with  an  arti- 
ficial, troublesome,  and  vici- 
ous. The  same  diet  and  a 
less  labour  would  at  first 
make  him  happy,  and  for 
ever  after  rewardable. 

6.  The  sum  of  all  is  that 
which  the  Apostle  says,  Co- 
vetous7iess  is  Idolatry^  ;  that 
is,  it  is  an  admiring  money 
for  itself,  not  for  its  use  ;  it 
relies  upon  money,  and  loves 
it  more  than  it  loves  God 
and  Religion  :  and  it  is  the 
root  of  all  evil^;  it  teaches 
men  to  be  cruel  and  crafty, 
industrious  in  evil,  full  of 
care  and  malice  ;  it  devours 
young  heirs,  and  grinds  the 
face  of  the  poor,  and  undoes 
those  who  especially  belong- 
to  God's  protection,  help- 
d  Col.  iii.  5. 


less,  craftless,  and  innocent 
people  ;  it  inquires  into  our 
parents'  age,  and  longs  for 
the  death  of  our  friends  ; 
it  makes  friendship  an  art 
of  rapine,  and  changes  a 
partner  into  a  vulture,  and 
a  companion  into  a  thief ; 
and  after  all  this,  it  is  for 
no  good  to  itself  ;  for  it  dare 
not  spend  those  heaps  of 
treasure  which  it  snatched : 
and  men  hate  serpents  and 
basilisks  worse  than  lions 
and  bears  ;  for  these  kill 
because  they  need  the  prey, 
but  they  sting  to  death  and 
eat  not.  And  if  they  pre- 
tend all  this  care  and  heap 
for  their  heirs,  (like  the  mice 
of  Africa  hiding  the  golden 
ore  in  their  bowels,  and  re- 
fusing to  give  back  the  in- 
digested gold  till  their  guts 
be  out,)  they  may  remem- 
ber, that  what  was  unneces- 
sary for  themselves,  is  as 
unnecessary  for  their  sons  ; 
and  why  cannot  they  be 
without  it  as  well  as  their 
fathers  who  did  not  use  it  ? 
And  it  often  happens,  that 
to  the  sons  it  becomes  an 
instrument  to  serve  some 
lust  or  other  ;  that,  as  the 
gold  was  useless  to  their 
fathers,  so  may  the  sons  be 
to  the  public  ;  fools  or  pro- 
j  digals,  loads  to  theu'  coun- 
)  try,  and  the  curse  and  pu- 
e  J  Tim,  VI.  10. 


254 


OF  COVETOUSNESS. 


nishmeiit  of  their  father's 
avarice  :  and  yet  all  that 
wealth  is  short  of  one  bless- 
ing ;  but  it  is  a  load,  com- 
ing with  a  curse,  and  de- 
scending from  the  family  of 
a  long-derived  sin.  How- 
ever, the  Father  transmits 
it  to  the  son,  and  it  may  be 
the  son  to  one  more,  till  a 
tyrant,  or  an  oppressor,  or 
a  war,  or  change  of  govern- 
ment, or  the  usurer,  or  folly, 
or  an  expensive  vice,  makes 
holes  in  the  bottom  of  the 
bag,  and  the  wealth  runs 
out  like  water,  and  flies 
away  like  a  bird  from  the 
hand  of  a  child. 

7.  Add  to  those  the  consi- 
deration of  the  advantages 
of  poverty  ;  that  it  is  a  state 
freer  from  temptation,  se- 
cure in  dangers,  but  of  one 
trouble,  safe  under  the  Di- 
vine Providence,  cared  for 
in  Heaven  by  a  daily  min- 
istration, and  for  whose  sup- 
port God  makes  every  day  a 
new  decree ;  a  state  of  which 
Christ  was  pleased  to  make 
open  profession,  and  many 
wise  men  daily  make  vows : 
that  a  rich  man  is  but  like 
a  pool,  to  whom  the  poor 
run,  and  first  trouble  it, 
and  then  draw  it  dry  :  that  | 
he  enjoys  no  more  of  it  than  j 
according  to  the  few  and  i 
limited  needs  of  a  man  ;  he  ! 
cannot  eat  like  a  wolf  or  an  ! 


elephant :  that  variety  of 
dainty  fare  ministers  but  to 
sin  and  sicknesses  :  that  the 
poor  man  feasts  oftener  than 
the  rich  ;  because  every  lit- 
tle enlargement  is  a  feast  to 
the  poor,  but  he  that  feasts 
every  day  feasts  no  day, 
there  being  nothing  left  to 
which  he  may  beyond  his 
ordinary  extend  his  appe- 
tite :  that  the  rich  man 
sleeps  not  so  soundly  as  the 
poor  labourer ;  that  his 
fears  are  more,  and  his 
needs  are  greater  ;  (for  who 
is  poorer,  he  that  needs  51. 
orhe  that  needs  5000^.  ?)  the 
poor  man  hath  enough  to 
fill  his  belly,  and  the  rich 
hath  not  enough  to  fill  his 
eye  :  that  the  poor  man's 
wants  are  easy  to  be  relieved 
by  a  common  charity,  but 
the  needs  of  rich  men  can- 
not be  supplied  but  by 
princes  ;  and  they  are  left 
to  the  temptation  of  great 
vices  to  make  reparation  of 
their  needs ;  and  the  ambi- 
tious labours  of  men  to  get 
great  estates  is  but  like  the 
selling  of  a  fountain  to  buy 
a  fever  ;  a  parting  with  con- 
tent to  buy  necessity,  a  pur- 
chase of  an  unhandsome 
condition  at  the  price  of  in- 
felicity :  that  Princes,  and 
they  that  enjoy  most  of  the 
world,  have  most  of  it  but 
in  title,  and  supreme  rights 


OP  REPENTANCE. 


255 


and  reserved  privileges,  pep- 
per-corns, homages,  trifling 
services  and  acknowledg- 
ments ;  the  real  use  descend- 
ing to  others  to  more  sub- 
stantial purposes.  These 
considerations  may  be  use- 


ful to  the  curing  of  Covet- 
ousness,  that,  the  grace  of 
mercifulness  enlarging  the 
heart  of  a  man,  his  hand 
may  not  be  contracted,  but 
reached  out  to  the  poor  in 
Alms. 


Sect.  IX. 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


Repentance  of  all  things 
in  the  World  makes  the 
greatest  change  :  it  changes 
things  in  Heaven  and 
Earth  :  for  it  changes  the 
whole  Man  from  sin  to 
grace,  from  vicious  habits 
to  holy  customs,  from  un- 
chaste bodies  to  Angelical 
Souls,  from  swine  to  philo- 
sophers, from  drunkenness 
to  sober  counsels  :  and  God 
Himself,  ^cith  ichoni  is  no 
varialleness  or  shadow  of 
change^,  is  pleased,  by  de- 
scending to  our  weak  un- 
derstandings, to  say  that  He 
changes  also  upon  man's 
Repentance  ;  that  He  alters 
His  decrees,  revokes  His 
sentence,  cancels  the  bills 
of  accusation,  throws  the 
records  of  shame  and  sorrow 
from  the  couit  of  Heaven, 
and  lifts  up  the  sinner  from 
the  grave  to  life,  from  his 
prison  to  a  throne,  from  Hell 
^  James  i.  17. 


and  the  guilt  of  eternal  tor- 
ture, to  Heaven  and  to  a 
title  to  never-ceasing  felici- 
ties. If  we  be  hound  0,1 
Earth,  we  shall  he  hound  in 
Heaven^  ;  if  we  be  absolved 
here,  we  shall  be  loosed 
there  :  if  we  repent,  God 
will  repent,  and  not ,  send 
the  evil  upon  us  which  we 
had  deserved. 

But  Repentance  is  a  con- 
jugation and  society  of  many 
duties  ;  and  it  contains  in 
it  all  the  parts  of  a  holy 
life,  from  the  time  of  our 
return  to  the  day  of  our 
death  inclusively ;  and  it 
hath  in  it  some  things  spe- 
cially relating  to  the  sins  of 
our  former  days,  which  are 
now  to  be  abolished  by  spe- 
cial arts,  and  have  obliged 
us  to  special  labours,  and 
brought  it  in  many  new 
necessities,  and  put  us  into 
a  very  great  deal  of  danger. 

B  Matth.  xviii.  18. 


256 

And  because  it  is  a  duty 
consisting  of  so  many  parts 
and  so  much  employment, 
it  also  requires  much  time, 
and  leaves  a  man  in  the 
same  degree  of  hope  of  par- 
don, as  is  his  restitution  to 
the  state  of  righteousness 
and  holy  living,  for  which 
we  covenanted  in  Baptism. 
For  we  must  know  that  there 
is  but  one  Repentance  in  a 
man's  whole  life,  if  repent- 
ance be  taken  in  a  proper 
and  strict  Evangelical  Co- 
venant sense,  and  not  after 
the  ordinary  understanding 
of  the  word  ;  That  is,  we 
are  but  once  to  change  our 
whole  state  of  life,  from  the 
power  of  the  Devil  and  his 
entire  possession,  from  the 
state  of  sin  and  death,  from 
the  body  of  corruption,  to 
the  life  of  grace,  to  the  pos- 
session of  Jesus,  to  the  king- 
dom of  the  Gospel  :  and 
this  is  done  in  the  baptism 
of  water,  or  in  the  baptism 
of  the  Spirit,  when  the  first 
rite  comes  to  be  verified  by 
God's  grace  coming  upon 
us,  and  by  our  obedience 
to  the  heavenly  calling,  we 
working  together  with  God. 
After  this  change,  if  ever  we 
fall  into  the  contrary  state, 
and  be  wholly  estranged 
from  God  and  Religion,  and 
profess  ourselves  servants 
of  unrighteousness,  God  hath 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


made  no  more  covenant  of 
restitution  to  us,  there  is  no 
place  left  for  any  more  Re- 
pentance, or  entire  change 
of  condition,  or  new  birth  : 
a  man  can  be  regenerated 
but  once  :  And  such  are 
voluntary  malicious  Apos- 
tates, Witches,  obstinate, 
impenitent  persons,  and  the 
like.  But  if  we  be  over- 
taken by  infirmity,  or  enter 
into  the  marches  or  borders 
of  this  estate,  and  commit 
a  grievous  sin,  or  ten,  or 
twenty,  so  we  be  not  in 
the  entire  possession  of  the 
Devil,  we  are  for  the  present 
in  a  damnable  condition  if 
we  die  ;  but  if  we  live,  we 
are  in  a  recoverable  condi- 
tion ;  for  so  we  may  repent 
often.  We  repent  or  rise 
from  death  but  once,  but 
from  sickness  many  times  ; 
and  by  the  grace  of  God  we 
shall  be  pardoned,  if  so  we 
repent.  But  our  hopes  of 
pardon  are  just  as  is  the  Re- 
pentance :  which,  if  it  be 
timely,  hearty,  industrious, 
and  effective,  God  accepts; 
not  by  weighing  grains  or 
scruples,  but  by  estimating 
the  great  proportions  of  our 
life.  A  hearty  endeavour 
and  an  effectual  general 
change  shall  get  the  par- 
don ;  the  unavoidable  in- 
firmities, and  past  evils,  and 
present  imperfections,   and 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


257 


short  interruptions,  against 
which  we  watch,  and  pray, 
and  strive,  being  put  upon 
the  accounts  of  the  Cross, 
and  paid  for  by  the  holy 
Jesus.  This  is  the  state 
and  condition  of  Repent- 
ance :  its  parts  and  actions 
must  be  valued  according 
to  the  following  rules. 

Acts  and  parts  of  Repent- 
a7ice. 

1,  He  that  repents  truly, 
is  greatly  sorrowful  for  his 
past  sins  :  not  with  a  su- 
perficial sigh  or  tear,  but 
pungent  afflictive  sorrow  ; 
such  a  sorrow  as  hates  the 
sin  so  much,  that  the  man 
would  choose  to  die  rather 
than  act  it  any  more  :  This 
sorrow  is  called  in  Scripture 
"a  weeping  sorely,  a  weep- 
ing with  bitterness  of  heart, 
a  weeping  day  and  night, 
a  sorrow  of  heart,  a  break- 
ing of  the  spirit,  mourning 
like  a  dove,  and  chattering 
like  a  swalloiv  ^.•"  and  we 
may  read  the  degree  and 
manner  of  it  by  the  Lament- 
ations and  sad  accents  of 
the  prophet  Jeremy,  when 
he  wept  for  the  sins  of  the 
nation ;  by  the  heart-break- 
ing of  David,  when  he 
mourned  for  his  murder  and 


adultery  * ;  and  the  bitter 
weeping  of  S.  Peter,  after 
the  shameful  denying  of 
his  Master^.  "^^ The  expres- 
sion of  this  sorrow  difiers 
according  to  the  temper  of 
the  body,  thfe  sex,  the  age, 
and  circumstance  of  action, 
and  the  motive  of  sorrow, 
and  by  many  accidental 
tendernesses,  or  masculine 
hardnesses  ;  and  the  re- 
pentance is  not  to  be  esti- 
mated by  the  tears,  but  by 
the  grief ;  and  the  grief  is 
to  be  valued  not  by  the  sen- 
sitive trouble,  but  by  the 
cordial  hatred  of  the  sin, 
and  ready  actual  dereliction 
of  it,  and  a  resolution  and 
real  resisting  its  consequent 
temptations.  Some  people 
can  shed  tears  for  nothing  ; 
some  for  anything  :  but  the 
proper  and  true  effects  of 
a  godly  sorrow  are,  fear  of 
the  Divine  judgments,  ap- 
prehension of  God's  displea- 
sure, watchings  and  striv- 
ings against  sin,  patiently 
enduring  the  cross  of  sorrow 
(which  God  sends  as  their 
punishment,)  in  accusation 
of  ourselves,  in  perpetually 
begging  pardon,  in  mean 
and  base  opinions  of  our- 
selves, and  in  all  the  natural 
productions  from  these  ac- 

;   Jer.  ix.  1,  17,  18; 


'^  Jer.  xiii.  17 ;    Ezek.  xxvii.  31 ;    James  iv. 
Joel  ii.  13;  Ps.  xxxiv.  18;  Isaiah  xxxviii.  14. 
i  Ps.  li. ;  2  Sam.  xi.  xii.  ^  Luke  xsU.  54—62. 


258 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


cording  to  our  temper  and 
constitution.  For  if  we  be 
apt  to  weep  in  other  acci- 
dents, it  is  ill  if  we  weep 
not  also  in  the  sorrows  of 
Repentance :  not  that  weep- 
ing is  of  itself 'a  duty  ;  but 
that  the  sorrow,  if  it  be  as 
great,  Avill  be  still  expressed 
in  as  great  a  manner. 

2.  Our  sorrow  for  sins 
must  retain  the  pro2)ortion 
of  our  sins,  though  not  the 
equality :  we  have  no  par- 
ticular measures  of  sins  ; 
we  know  not  which  is 
greater,  of  Sacrilege  or  Su- 
perstition, Idolatry  orCovet- 
ousness.  Rebellion  or  Witch- 
craft :  and  therefore  God 
ties  us  not  to  nice  measure 
of  sorrow,  but  only  that  we 
keep  the  general  Rules  of 
proportion ;  that  is,  that  a 
great  sin  have  a  great  grief, 
a  smaller  crime  being  to  be 
washed  oiF  with  a  lesser 
shower. 

3.  Our  sorrow  for  sins  is 
then  best  accounted  of  for 
its  degree,  when  it,  together 
with  all  the  penal  and  afflic- 
tive duties  of  Repentance, 
shall  have  equalled  or  ex- 
ceeded the  pleasure  we  had 
in  commission  of  the  sin  ^ 

4.  True  Repentance  is  a 
punishing  duty,  and  acts  its 
sorrow,  and  judges  and  con- 
demns the  sin  by  voluntary 

'  Hugo  de  S.  Victor.         ■"   1  Cor.  x 


submitting  to  such  sadness- 
es as  God  sends  on  us,  or 
(to  prevent  the  judgments 
of  God)  by  judging  our- 
selves, and  punishing  our 
bodies  and  our  spirits  by 
such  instruments  of  piety  as 
are  troublesome  to  the  body : 
such  as  are  fasting,  watch- 
ing, long  prayers,  trouble- 
some postures  in  our  prayers, 
expensive  alms,  and  all  out- 
ward acts  of  humiliation. 
For  he  that  must  judge  him- 
self, must  condemn  himself 
if  he  be  guilty  ;  and  if  he 
be  condemned,  he  must  be 
punished  ;  and  if  he  be  so 
judged,  it  will  help  to  pre- 
vent the  judgment  of  the 
Lord,  S.  Paul  instructing 
us  in  the  particular™.  But 
I  before  intimated,  that  the 
punishing  actiojis  of  Re- 
pentance are  only  actions  of 
sorrow,  and  therefore  are  to 
make  up  the  proportions  of 
it.  For  our  grief  may  be 
so  full  of  trouble  as  to  out- 
weigh all  the  burdens  of 
fasts  and  bodily  afflictions, 
and  then  the  other  are  the 
less  necessary ;  and  when 
they  are  used,  the  benefit  of 
them  is  to  obtain  of  God  a 
remission  or  a  lessening  of 
such  temporal  judgments 
which  God  hath  decreed 
against  the  sins,  as  it  was 
in  the  case  of  Ahah  °  ;   but 


31. 


1  Kings  xxi.  27 — 29. 


OP  REPENTANCE. 


259 


the  sinner  is  not  by  any 
thing  of  this  reconciled  to 
the  eternal  favour  of  God  ; 
for  as  yet  this  is  but  the 
Introduction  to  Repentance. 
5.  Every  true  penitent  is 
obliged  to  confess  his  sins, 
and  to  humble  himself  be- 
fore God  for  ever.  Confes- 
sion of  sins  hath  a  special 
promise.  If  we  confess  our 
sins,  He  is  faithful  and  just 
to  forgive  us  our  sins "  .* 
meaning,  that  God  hath 
bound  Himself  to  forgive 
us,  if  we  duly  confess  our 
sins  and  do  all  that  for 
which  confession  was  ap- 
pointed ;  that  is,  be  asham- 
ed of  them,  and  own  them 
no  more.  For  confession  of 
our  sins  to  God  can  signify 
nothing  of  itself  in  its  direct 
nature  :  He  sees  us  when 
we  act  them,  and  keeps  a 
record  of  them ;  and  we  for- 
get them  unless  He  reminds 
us  of  them  by  His  grace. 
So  that  to  confess  them  to 
God  does  7iot  punish  us,  or 
make  us  ashamed  ;  hut  con- 
fession to  Him,  if  it  pro- 
ceeds from  sliame  and  sor- 
row, and  is  an  act  of  humi- 
lity and  self-condemnation, 
and  is  a  laying  open  our 
Avounds  for  cure,  then  it  is 
a  duty  God  delights  in.    In 


all  which  circumstances,  be- 
cause we  may  very  much 
be  helped  if  we  take  in 
the  assistance  of  a  spiritual 
Guide  ;  therefore  the  Church 
of  God  in  all  ages  hath  com- 
mended, and  in  most  ages 
enjoined °,  that  we  confess 
our  sins,  and  discover  the 
state  and  condition  of  our 
Souls,  to  such  a  person  whom 
we  or  our  superiors  judge 
fit  to  help  us  in  such  needs. 
For  so,  if  we  ^^  confess  our 
sins  one  to  another,^''  as  S. 
James  advises  f,  we  shall  ob- 
tain the  prayers  of  the  holy 
man  whom  God  and  the 
Church  hath  appointed  so- 
lemnly to  pray  for  us  :  and 
when  he  knows  our  needs, 
he  can  best  minister  com- 
fort or  reproof,  oil  or  caus- 
ticks;  he  can  more  op- 
portunely recommend  your 
particular  state  to  God  ;  he 
can  determine  your  cases  of 
conscience,  and  judge  better 
for  you  than  you  do  for 
yourself  ;  and  the  shame  of 
opening  such  ulcers  may 
restrain  your  forwardness 
to  contract  them  :  and  all 
these  circumstances  of  ad- 
vantage will  do  very  much 
towards  the  forgiveness. 
And  this  course  was  taken 
by  the  new  Converts  in  the 


n  1  John  i.  9. 

°  S.  Basil,  reg.  brev.  228.    Concil.  Laod.  c.  2.     Concil.  Qnin.  sext. 
c.  102.     Tertnl.  de  popuit.  P  James  v.  16. 


260 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


days  of  the  Apostles :  "  For 
many  that  believed,  came 
and  confessed  and  shewed 
their  deeds  q."  And  it  were 
well  if  this  duty  were  prac- 
tised prudently  and  inno- 
cently in  order  to  public 
discipline,  or  private  com- 
fort and  instruction  ;  but 
that  it  be  done  to  God  is  a 
duty,  not  directly  for  itself, 
but  for  its  adjuncts  and  the 
duties  that  go  with  it,  or 
before  it,  or  after  it  :  which 
duties  because  they  are  all 
to  be  helped  and  guided  by 
our  Pastors  and  Curates  of 
Souls,  he  is  careful  of  his 
eternal  interest  that  will 
not  lose  the  advantage  of 
using  a  private  Guide  and 
Judge.  He  that  hideth  his 
sins,  shall  not  prosper; 
{Non  dirigetur,  saith  the 
Vulgar  Latin,  he  shall  want 
a  guide ;)  hut  ivho  confess- 
eth  and  forsaketh  them,  shall 
have  merci/'^.  And  to  this 
purpose  Climacus  reports 
that  divers  holy  persons  in 
that  age  did  use  to  carry 
table-books  with  them,  and 
in  them  described  an  ac- 
count of  all  their  determi- 
nate    thoughts,     purposes, 

q  Acts  xix.  18. 
»  Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  7  ;  and  viii.  10; 
Gal.  V.  6,24;  andvi.  15;    1  Cor.  vi 
Heb.  xii.  1,  14,  16  ;  and  x.  16,  22 


words,  and  actions,  in  which 
they  had  suffered  infirmity ; 
that  by  communicating  the 
estate  of  their  Souls  they 
might  be  instructed  and 
guided,  and  corrected  or 
encouraged. 

6.  True  Repentance  must 
reduce  to  act  all  its  holy 
purposes,  and  enter  into 
and  run  through  the  state  of 
holy  living^,  which  is  con- 
trary to  that  state  of  dark- 
ness in  which  in  times  past 
we  walked.  For  to  resolve 
to  do  it,  and  yet  not  to  do 
itt,  is  to  break  our  resolu- 
tion and  our  faith,  to  mock 
God,  to  falsify  and  evacuate 
all  the  preceding  acts  of  Re- 
pentance, and  to  make  our 
pardon  hopeless,  and  our 
hope  fruitless.  He  that  re- 
solves to  live  well  when  a 
danger  is  upon  him,  or  a 
violent  fear,  or  when  the 
appetites  of  lust  are  newly 
satisfied,  or  newly  served, 
and  yet  when  the  tempta- 
tion comes  again,  sins  again, 
and  then  is  sorrowful,  and 
resolves  once  more  against 
it,  and  yet  falls  when  the 
temptation  returns,  is  a 
vain  man,  but  no  true  peni- 

r  Prov.  xxviii.  13. 
and  xiii.  13,   14;  and  xi.   22,  27; 
.19;  2  Cor.  xiii.  5;  Col.  i.  21— 23  ; 
1  Pet.  i.  15  ;  2  Pet.  i.  4,  9, 10 ;  and 


\ 


iii.  11 ;    1  John  i.  6  ;  and  iii.  8,  9  ;  and  v.  16. 

t  Nequam  illud  verbum,  Bene  vult,  nisi  qui  bene  facit. 
Trinumm.  II.  iv.  38. 


Plautiis. 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


tent,  nor  in  the  state  of 
grace  ;  aucl  if  he  chance  to 
die  in  one  of  these  good 
moods,  is  very  far  from  sal- 
vation: for  if  it  be  neces- 
sary that  vre  resolve  to  live 
well,  it  is  necessary  we 
should  do  so.  For  resolu- 
tion is  an  imperfect  act,  a 
term  of  relation,  and  signi- 
fies nothing  but  in  order  to 
the  actions  :  it  is  as  a  facul- 
ty is  to  the  act,  as  spring 
to  the  harvest,  as  eggs  are 
to  birds,  as  a  relative  to 
its  correspondent,  nothing 
without  it.  No  man  there- 
fore can  be  in  the  state  of 
grace  and  actual  favour  by 
resolutions  and  holy  pur- 
poses ;  these  are  but  the 
gate  and  portal  towards 
pardon  :  a  holy  life  is  the 
only  perfection  of  Repent- 
ance, and  the  firm  ground 
upon  which  we  can  cast  the 
anchor  of  hope  in  the  mer- 
cies of  God  through  Jesus 
Chi-ist. 

7.  No  man  is  to  reckon 
his  pardon  immediately  up- 
on his  returns  from  sin  to 
the  beginnings  of  good  life, 
but  is  to  begin  his  hopes 
and  degrees  of  confidence 
according  as  sin  dies  in  him, 
and  grace  lives  ;  as  the 
habits  of  sin  lessen,  and 
righteousness  grows ;  ac- 
cording as  sin  returns  but 
■>  Phil 


2G1 

seldom,  in  smaller  instances, 
and  without  choice,  and  by 
surprise  without  delibera- 
tion, and  is  highly  dis- 
relished, and  presently  dash- 
ed against  the  Rock  Christ 
Jesus  by  a  holy  sorrow  and 
renewed  care  and  more 
strict  watchfulness.  For,  a 
holy  life  being  the  condition 
of  the  Covenant  on  our  part, 
as  we  return  to  God,  so  God 
returns  to  us,  and  our  state 
returns  to  the  probabilities 
of  pardon. 

8.  Every  man  is  to  work 
out  his  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling"  ;  and  after 
the  commission  of  sins  his 
fears  must  multiply  ;  be- 
cause every  new  sin  and 
every  great  declining  from 
the  ways  of  God  is  still  a 
degree  of  new  danger,  and 
hath  increased  God's  anger, 
and  hath  made  Him  more 
uneasy  to  grant  pardon : 
and  when  He  does  grant  it, 
it  is  upon  harder  terms  both 
for  doing  and  sufiering ; 
that  is,  we  must  do  more  for 
pardon,  and,  it  may  be,  suf- 
fer much  more.  For  we 
must  know  that  God  par- 
dons our  sins  by  parts  ;  as 
our  duty  increases,  and  our 
care  is  more  prudent  and 
active,  so  God's  anger  de- 
creases :  and  yet  it  may  be, 
the  last  sin  you  committed 
ii.  12. 


262 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


made  God  unalterably  re- 
solved to  send  upon  you 
some  sad  judgment.  Of  the 
particulars  in  all  cases  we 
are  uncertain ;  and  there- 
fore we  have  reason  always 
to  mourn  for  our  sins  that 
have  so  provoked  God,  and 
made  our  condition  so  full 
of  danger,  that  it  may  be 
no  prayers  or  tears  or  duty 
can  alter  His  sentence  con- 
cerning some  sad  judgment 
upon  us.  Thus  God  irrevo- 
cably decreed  to  punish  the 
Israelites  for  Idolatry,  al- 
though Moses  prayed  for 
them,  and  God  forgave  them 
in  some  degree  ;  that  is,  so 
that  He  would  not  cut  them 
off  from  being  a  people  ;  yet 
He  would  not  forgive  them 
so,  but  He  would  visit  that 
their  sin  upon  them :  and 
He  did  so. 

9.  A  true  penitent  must 
all  the  days  of  his  life  pray 
for  pardon,  and  never  think 
the  work  completed  till  he 
dies  ;  not  by  any  act  of  his 
own,  by  no  act  of  the  Church, 
by  no  forgiveness  by  the 
party  injured,  by  no  resti- 
tution. These  are  all  in- 
struments of  great  use  and 
efficacy,  and  the  means  by 
which  it  is  to  be  done  at 
length ;  but  still  the  sin 
lies  at  the  door  ready  to 
return  upon  us  in  judgment 
and  damnation,  if  we  return 


to  it  in  choice  or  action. 
And  whether  God  hath  for- 
given us  or  no,  we  know 
not  ;  and  how  far,  we  know 
not ;  and  all  that  we  have 
done  is  not  of  sufficient 
worth  to  obtain  pardon : 
therefore  still  pray,  and  still 
be  sorrowful  for  ever  having 
done  it,  and  for  ever  watch 
against  it ;  and  then  those 
beginnings  of  pardon  which 
are  working  all  the  way, 
will  at  last  be  perfected  in 
the  day  of  the  Lord. 

10.  Defer  not  at  all  to 
repent  ;  much  less  mayest 
thou  put  it  off  to  thy  death- 
bed. It  is  not  an  easy  thing 
to  root  out  the  habits  of 
sin,  which  a  man's  whole 
life  hath  gathered  and  con- 
firmed. We  find  work 
enough  to  mortify  one  be- 
loved lust,  in  our  very  best 
advantage  of  strength  and 
time,  and  before  it  is  so 
deeply  rooted  as  it  must 
needs  be  supposed  to  be  at 
the  end  of  a  wicked  life : 
and  therefore  it  wiU  prove 
impossible  when  the  work 
is  so  great  and  the  strength 
so  little,  when  sin  is  so 
strong  and  grace  so  weak : 
for  they  always  keep  the 
same  proportion  of  increase 
and  decrease ;  and  as  sin 
grows,  grace  decays  :  so 
that  the  more  need  we  have 
of  grace,   the  less  at  that 


OF  REPEI\"TANOE. 


263 


time  we  shall  have  ;  because 
the  greatness  of  our  sins, 
which  makes  the  need,  hath 
lessened  the  grace  of  God 
(which  should  help  us)  into 
nothing.  To  which  add 
this  consideration  ;  that  on 
a  man's  death-bed  the  day 
of  Repentance  is  past^  : 
for,  Repentance  being  the 
renewing  of  a  holy  life,  a 
living  the  life  of  grace,  it  is 
a  contradiction  to  say  that 
a  man  can  live  a  holy  life 
upon  his  death-bed  :  espe- 
cially if  we  consider,  that 
for  a  sinner  to  live  a  holy 
life  must  first  suppose  him 
to  have  overcome  all  his 
evil  habits,  and  then  to 
have  made  a  purchase  of 
the  contrary  graces,  by  the 
labours  of  great  prudence, 
watchfulness,  self-denial, 
and  severity.  Nothing  that 
is  excellent  can  he  wrought 
suddenly'' . 

11,  After  the  beginnings 
of  thy  recovery,  be  infinitely 
fearful  of  a  relapse  ;  and 
therefore  upon  the  stock  of 
thy  sad  experience  observe 
where  thy  failings  were, 
and  by  special  arts  fortify 
that  faculty,  and  arm  a- 
gainst  that  temptation.  For 
if  all  those  arguments  which 
God  uses  to  us  to  preserve 


our  innocence,  and  thy  late 
danger,  and  thy  fears,  and 
the  goodness  of  God  making 
thee  once  to  escape,  and  the 
shame  of  thy  fall,  and  the 
sense  of  thy  own  weaknesses 
will  not  make  thee  watch- 
ful against  a  fall,  especially 
knowing  how  much  it  costs 
a  man  to  be  restored,  it  will 
be  infinitely  more  danger- 
ous if  ever  thou  fallest  a- 
gain  ;  not  only  for  fear  God 
should  no  more  accept  thee 
to  pardon,  but  even  thy  own 
hopes  will  be  made  more 
desperate,  and  thy  impati- 
ence greater,  and  thy  shame 
turn  to  impudence,  and  thy 
own  will  be  more  estranged, 
violent,  and  refractory,  and 
thy  latter  end  loill  he  ivorse 
than  thij  beginning'^.  To 
Avhich  add  this  considera- 
tion ;  That  thy  sin,  which 
was  formerly  in  a  good  way 
of  being  pardoned,  will  not 
only  return  upon  thee  with 
all  its  own  loads,  but  with 
the  baseness  of  unthankful - 
ness,  and  thou  wilt  be  set  as 
far  back  from  Heaven  as 
ever  ;  and  all  thy  former 
labours  and  fears  and  watch- 
ings  and  agonies  will  be 
reckoned  for  nothing,  but 
as  arguments  to  upbraid  thy 
folly,  who  when  thou  hadst 


*  Mortem  venientem  nemo  hilaris  excipit,  nisi  qui  ad  earn  se  diu  cora- 
posuerat. 

y   Arrian.  ^  2  Peter  ii.  20. 


2G4 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


set  one  foot  in  Heaven,  didst 
pull  that  back  and  carry 
both  to  Hell. 

Motives  to  Repentance. 

I  shall  use  no  other  ar- 
guments to  move  a  sinner 
to  Repentance,  but  to  tell 
him,  unless  he  does,  he  shall 
certainly  perish  ;  and  if  he 
does  repent  timely  and  en- 
tirely, that  is,  live  a  holy 
life,  he  shall  be  forgiven  and 
be  saved.  But  yet  I  desire 
that  this  consideration  be 
enlarged  with  some  great 
circumstances ;  and  let  us 
remember, 

1.  That  to  admit  man- 
kind to  Repentance  and  par- 
don, Avas  a  favour  greater 
than  ever  God  gave  to  the 
Angels  and  Devils :  for  they 
were  never  admitted  to 
the  condition  of  second 
thoughts ;  Christ  never 
groaned  one  groan  for 
them ;  He  never  suffered 
one  stripe  nor  one  afi'ront, 
nor  shed  one  drop  of  blood 
to  restore  them  to  hopes  of 
blessedness  after  their  first 
failings.  But  this  He  did 
for  us  :  He  paid  the  score  of 
our  sins,  only  that  we  might 
be  admitted  to  repent,  and 
that  this  Repentance  might 
be  effectual  to  the  great 
purposes  of  felicity  and  sal- 
vation. 

»  Heb.  vii.  25. 


2.  Consider,  that  as  it 
cost  Christ  many  millions 
of  prayers  and  groans  and 
sighs,  so  He  is  now  at  this 
instant,  and  hath  been  for 
these  1600  years,  night  and 
day  incessantly  praying  for 
grace  to  us  that  we  may  re- 
pent, and  for  pardon  when 
we  do,  and  for  degrees  of 
pardon  beyond  the  capaci- 
ties of  our  infirmities,  and 
the  merit  of  our  sorrows  and 
amendment ;  and  this  pray  er 
He  will  continue  till  His 
second  coming  :  for  He  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession 
for  us\  And  that  we  may 
know  what  it  is,  in  behalf 
of  which  He  intercedes,  S. 
Paul  tells  us  His  design  ; 
"  We  are  Ambassadors  for 
Christ,  as  though  He  did  be- 
seech you  by  us ;  we  pray 
you  in  Christ's  stead,  to  be 
reconciled  to  God^"  And 
what  Christ  prays  us  to  do, 
He  prays  to  Cod  that  we  may 
do ;  that  which  He  desires 
of  us  as  His  servants,  He 
desires  of  God,  Who  is  the 
fountain  of  the  grace  and 
powers  unto  us,  and  with- 
out Whose  assistance  we  can 
do  nothing. 

3.  That  ever  we  should 
repent,  was  so  costly  a  pur- 
chase, and  so  great  a  con^ 
comment,  and  so  high  a 
favour,   and   the    event    is 

>>  2  Cor.  V.  20. 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


265 


esteemed  by  God  Himself  so 
great  an  excellency,  that 
our  blessed  Saviour  tells  us, 
there  shall  he  joy  in  Heaven 
over  one  sin7ier  that  repent- 
eth  ^ :  meaning,  that  when 
Christ  shall  be  glorified,  and 
at  the  right  hand  of  His 
Father  make  intercession 
for  us,  praying  for  our  Re- 
pentance ;  the  Conversion 
and  Repentance  of  every 
sinner  is  part  of  Christ's 
glorification  :  it  is  the  an- 
swering of  His  prayers,  it  is 
a  portion  of  His  reward  in 
which  He  does  essentially 
glory  by  the  joys  of  His 
glorified  humanity.  This  is 
the  joy  of  our  Lord  Himself 
directly  ;  not  of  the  Angels, 
save  only  by  reflection :  The 
joy  (said  our  blessed  Savi- 
our) shall  be  in  the  presence 
of  the  Angels  ^  ;  they  shall 
see  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
the  answering  of  His  prayers, 
the  satisfaction  of  His  de- 
sires, and  the  reward  of  His 
sufferings,  in  the  repentance 
and  consequent  pardon  of  a 
sinner.  For  therefore  He 
once  suffered,  and  for  that 
reason  He  rejoices  for  ever. 
And  therefore  when  a  peni- 
tent sinner  comes  to  receive 
the  effect  and  full  consum- 
mation of  his  pardon,  it  is 
called,  "an  entering  into  the 
joy  of  our  Lord^f  that  is, 


a  partaking  of  that  joy  which 
Christ  received  at  our  con- 
version, and  enjoyed  ever 
since. 

4.  Add  to  this,  that  the 
rewards  of  Heaven  are  so 
great  and  glorious,  and 
Christ's  burden  is  so  light, 
His  yoke  is  so  easy,  that  it 
is  a  shameless  impudence  to 
expect  so  great  glories  at  a 
less  rate  than  so  little  a  ser- 
vice, at  a  lower  rate  than  a 
holy  life.  It  cost  the  heart- 
blood  of  the  Son  of  God  to 
obtain  Heaven  for  us  upon 
that  condition  ;  and  who 
shall  die  again  to  get  Hea- 
ven for  us  upon  easier  terms  ? 
what  would  you  do  if  God 
should  command  you  to  kill 
your  eldest  son,  or  to  work 
in  the  mines  for  a  thousand 
years  together,  or  to  fast  all 
thy  life-time  with  bread  and 
water  ?  were  not  Heaven  a 
very  great  bargain  even 
after  all  this  ?  And  when 
God  requires  nothing  of  us 
but  to  live  soberly,  justly, 
and  Godly  (which  things  of 
themselves  are  to  a  man  a 
very  great  felicity,  and  ne- 
cessary to  our  present  well- 
being),  shall  we  think  this 
to  be  an  intolerable  burden, 
and  that  Heaven  is  too  little 
a  purchase  at  that  price ; 
and  that  God  in  mere  justice 
will  take  a  death- bed  sigh 


0  Luke  rv.  7. 


d  lb. 


10. 


e  Matth.  xsv.  21. 


266 


PREPARATION  TO  THE  HOLT  SACRAMENT. 


or  groan,  and  a  few  unpro- 
fitable tears  and  promises,  in 
exchange  for  all  our  duty  ? 
If  these  motives  joined 
together  with  our  own  in- 
terest, even  as  much  as  feli- 
city, and  the  sight  of  God, 
and  the  avoiding  the  in- 
tolerable pains  of  Hell  and 


many  intermedial  judg- 
ments, comes  to,  will  not 
move  us  to  leave,  1.  the  fil- 
thiness,  and  2.  the  trouble, 
and  3.  the  uneasiness,  and 
4.  the  unreasonableness  of 
sin,  and  turn  to  God,  there 
is  no  more  to  be  said  ;  we 
must  perish  in  our  folly. 


Sect.  X. 


or  PREPARATION  TO,  AND  THE  MANNER  HOW  TO  RECEIVE, 
THE  HOLY  SACRAMENT  OP  THE  LORD's  SUPPER. 

The  celebration  of  the 
holy  Sacrament  is  the  great 
mysteriousness  of  the  Chris- 
tian Religion,  and  succeeds 
to  the  most  solemn  rite  of 
natural  and  Judaical  Re- 
ligion, the  Law  of  sacri- 
ficing. For  God  spared 
mankind,  and  took  the  sacri- 
fice of  beasts  together  with 
our  solemn  prayers  for  an 
instrument  of  expiation. 
But  these  could  not  purify 
the  Soul  from  sin,  but  were 
typical  of  the  sacrifice  of 
something  that  could.  But 
nothing  could  do  this,  but 
either  the  ofiering  of  all 
that  sinned,  that  every  man 
should  be  the  anathema  or 
devoted  thing ;  or  else  by 
some  one  of  the  same  capa- 
city, who  by  some  super- 
added excellency  might  in 
His  own  personal  sufferings 


have  a  value  great  enough 
to  satisfy  for  all  the  whole 
kind  of  sinning  persons. 
This  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus 
Christ,  God  and  man,  un- 
dertook, and  finished  by  a 
Sacrifice  of  Himself  upon 
the  Altar  of  the  Cross. 

2.  This  Sacrifice,  because 
it  was  perfect,  could  be  but 
one,  and  that  once  :  but  be- 
cause the  needs  of  the  world 
should  last  as  long  as  the 
world  itself,  it  was  neces- 
sary that  there  should  be  a 
perpetual  ministry  esta- 
blished, whereby  this  one 
sufficient  sacrifice  should  be 
made  eternally  effectual  to 
the  several  new-arising 
needs  of  all  the  world  who 
should  desire  it,  or  in  any 
sense  be  capable  of  it. 

3.  To  this  end  Christ  was 
made   a   Priest  for  ever^ : 


Heb.  vii.  17, 


PREPARATION  TO  THE   HOLY  SACRAMENT. 


267 


He  was  initiated  or  conse- 
crated on  the  cross,  and 
there  began  His  Priesthood, 
which  was  to  last  till  His 
coming  to  judgment.  It 
began  on  earth,  but  was  to 
last  and  be  officiated  in 
Heaven,  where  He  sits  per- 
petually representing  and 
exhibiting  to  the  Father 
that  great  effective  sacrifice 
(which  He  offered  on  the 
cross)  to  eternal  and  never- 
failing  purposes. 

4.  As  Christ  is  pleased  to 
represent  to  His  Father  that 
great  Sacrifice  as  a  means 
of  atonement  and  expiation 
for  all  mankind,  and  with 
special  purposes  and  intend- 
ment for  all  the  elect,  all 
that  serve  Him  in  holiness  ; 
so  He  hath  appointed  that 
the  same  ministry  shall  be 
done  upon  earth  too,  in  our 
manner,  and  according  to 
our  proportion  ;  and  there- 
fore hath  constituted  and 
separated  an  order  of  men, 
who,  by  shewing  forth  the 
Lo7'd''s  death^  by  Sacra- 
mental representation,  may 
pray  unto  God  after  the 
same  manner  that  our  Lord 
and  High  Priest  does,  that  , 
is,  offer  to  God  and  repre- 
sent in  this  solemn  prayer  i 
and  Sacrament,  Christ  as  I 
already  offered  ;  so  sending  j 
up  a  gracious  instrument  j 
e  1  Cor.  xi.  26. 


whereby  our  prayers  may 
for  His  sake  and  in  the 
same  manner  of  intercession 
be  offered  up  to  God  in  our 
behalf,  and  for  all  them  for 
whom  we  pray,  to  all  those 
purposes  for  which  Christ 
died. 

5.  As  the  Ministers  of  the 
Sacrament  do  in  a  Sacra- 
mental manner  present  to 
God  the  sacrifice  of  the 
cross,  by  being  imitators  of 
Christ's  intercession  ;  so  the 
people  are  sacrificers  too  in 
their  manner :  for  besides 
that  by  saying  Amen  they 
join  in  the  act  of  him  that 
ministers,  and  make  it  also 
to  be  their  own  ;  so  when 
they  eat  and  drink  the  con- 
secrated and  blessed  Ele- 
ments worthily,  they  receive 
Christ  within  them,  and 
therefore  may  also  offer  Him 
to  God,  while  in  their  sacri- 
fice of  obedience  and  thanks- 
giving they  present  them- 
selves to  God  with  Christ 
whom  they  have  spiritually 
received,  that  is,  themselves 
with  that  which  will  make 
them  gracious  and  accept- 
able. The  offering  their 
bodies  and  Souls  and  ser- 
vices to  God  in  Him,  and 
hy  Him,  and  idth  Him,  who 
is  His  Father's  icell-beloved, 
and  in  whom  He  is  well- 
pleased^,    cannot     but    be 


h  Matth.  iii.  16,  17. 


N2 


PREPARATION  TO  THE  HOLY  SACRAMENT. 


accepted  to  all  the  purposes 
of  blessing,  grace,  and  glory. 
6,  This  is  the  sum  of  the 
greatest  mystery  of  our  Re- 
ligion ;  it  is  the  copy  of  the 
Passion,  and  the  ministra- 
tion of  the  great  mystery  of 
our  Redemption :  and  there- 
fore whatsoever  entitles  us 
to  the  general  privileges  of 
Christ's  passion,  all  that  is 
necessary  by  way  of  disposi- 
tion to  the  celebration  of 
the  Sacrament  of  His  Pas- 
sion ;  because  this  celebra- 
tion is  our  manner  of  apply- 
ing or  using  it.  The  par- 
ticulars of  which  prepara- 
tion are  represented  in  the 
following  rules. 

1.  No  man  must  dare  to 
approach  to  the  holy  Sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper 
if  he  be  in  a  state  of  any 
one  sin  ;  that  is,  unless  he 
have  entered  into  the  state 
of  repentance,  that  is,  of 
sorrow  and  amendment ; 
lest  it  be  said  concerning 
him,  as  it  was  concerning 
Judas,  the  hand  of  him  that 
betrayeth  Me  is  with  Me  on 
the  table  i :  and  he  that  re- 
ceiveth  Christ  into  an  im- 
pure Soul  or  body,  first  turns 
his  most  excellent  nouiish- 
ment  into  poison,  and  then 
feeds  upon  it. 

2.  Every  Communicant 
must   first  have  examined 


himself;  that  is,  tried  the 
condition  and  state  of  his 
Soul,  searched  out  the  secret 
ulcers,  enquired  out  its 
weaknesses  and  indiscre- 
tions, and  all  those  apt- 
nesses where  it  is  exposed 
to  temptation  :  that  by  find- 
ing out  its  diseases  he  may 
find  a  cure  ;  and  by  dis- 
covering its  aptnesses,  he 
may  secure  his  present  pur- 
poses of  future  amendment, 
and  may  be  armed  against 
dangers  and  temptations. 

3.  This  examination  must 
be  a  man's  own  act  and  in- 
quisition into  his  life  :  but 
then  also  it  should  lead  a 
man  on  to  run  to  those, 
whom  the  Great  Physician 
of  our  Souls,  Christ  Jesus, 
hath  appointed  to  minister 
physic  to  our  diseases ;  that 
in  all  dangers  and  great 
accidents  we  may  be  assisted 
for  comfort  and  remedy,  for 
medicine  and  caution. 

4.  In  this  afiair  let  no 
man  deceive  himself,  and, 
against  such  a  time  which 
public  authority  hath  ap- 
pointed for  us  to  receive  the 
Sacrament,  weep  for  his  sins 
by  way  of  solemnity  and 
ceremony,  and  still  retain 
the  aflfection :  but  he  that 
comes  to  this  Feast  must 
have  on  the  wedding-gar- 
ment, that  is,  he  must  have 


Luke  xxii.  21. 


PREPARATION  TO  THE  HOLY  SACRAMENT. 


269 


put  on  Jesus  Christ^,  and 
he  must  have  put  off  the  old 
vnan  with  his  affections  and 
lusts^ ;  and  he  must  he 
wholly  conformed  to  Christ 
in  the  image  of  his  mind "". 
For  then  we  have  put  on 
Christ,  when  our  Souls  are 
clothed  with  His  righteous- 
ness, when  every  faculty  of 
our  Soul  is  proportioned  i 
and  vested  according  to  the  ! 
pattern  of  Christ's  life.  And 
therefore  a  man  must  not  I 
leap  from  his  last  night's 
surfeit  and  bath,  and  then  I 
communicate :  but  when  he  ' 
hath  begun  the  work  of , 
God  effectually,  and  made 
some  progress  in  repentance,  I 
and  hath  walked  some  stages 
and  periods  in  the  ways  of 
godliness,  then  let  him  come 
to  him  that  is  to  minister  it, 
and  having  made  known  the 
state  of  his  Soul,  he  is  to  be 
admitted  :  but  to  receive  it 
into  an  unhallowed  Soul 
and  body,  is  to  receive  the 
dust  of  the  Tabernacle  in 
the  waters  of  jealousy  ;  it 
will  make  the  belly  to  swell, 
and  the  thigh  to  rot "  ;  it 
will  not  convey  Christ  to  us, 
but  the  Devil  will  enter  and 
dwell  there,  till  with  it  he 
returns  to  his  dwelling  of 
torment.  Remember  al- 
ways, that  after  a  great  sin 

k  Rom.  xiii.  14. 
m  Rom.  xii.  2. 


or  after  a  habit  of  sins,  a 
man  is  not  soon  made  clean  ; 
and  no  unclean  thing  must 
come  to  this  Feast.  It  is 
not  the  preparation  of  two 
or  three  days  that  can  ren- 
der a  person  capable  of  this 
banquet :  For,  in  this  Feast, 
all  Christ,  and  Christ's  pas- 
sion, and  all  His  graces,  the 
blessings  and  effects  of  His 
sufferings,  are  conveyed.  No- 
thing can  fit  us  for  this,  but 
what  can  unite  us  to  Christ, 
and  obtain  of  Him  to  pre- 
sent our  needs  to  His  Hea- 
venly Father  :  this  Sacra- 
ment can  no  otherwise  be 
celebrated,  but  upon  the 
same  terms  on  which  we 
may  hope  for  pardon  and 
Heaven  itself. 

5.  When  we  have  this 
general  and  indispensably- 
necessary  preparation,  we 
are  to  make  our  Souls  more 
adorned  and  trimmed  up 
with  circumstances  of  pious 
actions  and  special  devo- 
tions, setting  apart  some 
portion  of  our  time  imme- 
diately before  the  day  of 
solemnity,  according  as  our 
great  occasions  will  permit: 
and  this  time  is  specially  to 
be  spent  in  actions  of  re- 
pentance, confession  of  our 
sins,  renewing  our  purposes 
of  holy  living,  praying  for 

1  Eph.  iv.  22  ;  Gal.  v.  24. 
n  Numb.  V.  17,  27,  29. 


270 


PREPARATION  TO  THE  HOLT  SACRAMENT. 


pardon  of  our  failings  and 
for  those  graces  which  may 
prevent  the  like  sadnesses 
for  the  time  to  come,  medi- 
tation upon  the  passion, 
upon  the  infinite  love  of 
God  expressed  in  so  great 
mysterious  manners  of  re- 
demption ;  and  indefinitely 
in  all  acts  of  virtue  which 
may  build  our  Souls  up  into 
a  Temple  fit  for  the  recep- 
tion of  Christ  Himself  and 
the  inhabitation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

6.  The  celebration  of  the 
Holy  Sacrament  being  the 
most  solemn  prayer,  joined 
with  the  most  effectual  in- 
strument of  its  acceptance, 
must  suppose  us  in  the  love 
of  God  and  in  charity  with 
all  the  World :  and  therefore 
we  must,  before  every  Com- 
munion especially,  remem- 
ber what  differences  or  jea- 
lousies are  between  us  and 
any  one  else,  and  recom- 
pose  all  disunions,  and  cause 
right  understandings  be- 
tween each  other  ;  offering 
to  satisfy  whom  we  have 
injiured,  and  to  forgive  them 
who  have  injured  us,  with- 
out thoughts  of  resuming 
the  quarrel  when  the  solem- 
nity is  over  ;  for  that  is  but 
to  rake  the  embers  in  light 
and  phantastic  ashes :  it 
must  be  quenched,  and  a 
holy  flame   enkindled  :    no 


fires  must  be  at  all,  but  the 
fires  of  love  and  zeal:  and 
the  altar  of  incense  will 
send  up  a  sweet  perfume, 
and  make  atonement  for  us. 
7.  When  the  day  of  the 
Feast  is  come,  lay  aside  all 
cares  and  impertinencies  of 
the  World,  and  remember 
that  this  is  thy  SouVs  day, 
a  day  of  traffic  and  inter- 
course with  Heaven.  Arise 
early  in  the  morning.  1. 
Give  God  thanks  for  the 
approach  of  so  great  a  bles- 
sing. 2.  Confess  thine  own 
unworthiness  to  admit  so 
Divine  a  Guest.  3.  Then 
remember  and  deplore  thy 
sins,  which  have  made  thee 
so  unworthy.  4.  Then  con- 
fess God's  goodness,  and 
take  sanctuary  there,  and 
upon  Him  place  thy  hopes. 
5,  And  invite  Him  to  thee 
with  renewed  acts  of  love, 
of  holy  desire,  of  hatred  of 
His  enemy,  sin.  6.  Make 
oblation  of  thyself  wholly 
to  be  disposed  by  Him,  to 
the  obedience  of  Him,  to 
His  providence  and  posses- 
sion, and  pray  Him  to  enter 
and  dwell  there  for  ever. 
And  after  this,  with  joy  and 
holy  fear  and  the  forward- 
ness of  love  address  thyself 
to  the  receiving  of  Hi7n,  to 
whom  and  by  whom  and  for 
whom  all  faith  and  all  hope 
and  all  love  in  the  whole 


PREPARATION  TO  THE  HOLT  SACRAMENT. 


271 


Catholic  Church,  both  in 
Heaven  and  Earth,  is  de- 
signed ;  Him,  whom  Kings 
and  Queens  and  whole  King- 
doms are  in  love  with,  and 
count  it  the  greatest  honour 
in  the  World,  that  their 
Crowns  and  Sceptres  are 
laid  at  His  Holy  feet. 

8.  When  the  holy  man 
stands  at  the  Table  of  hless- 
ing  and  ministers  the  rite 
of  consecration,  then  do  as 
the  Angels  do,  who  behold, 
and  love,  and  wonder  that 
the  Son  of  God  should  be- 
come food  to  the  Souls  of 
His  servants  ;  that  He  who 
cannot  suffer  any  change  or 
lessening^  should  be  broken 
into  pieces,  and  enter  into 
the  body  to  support  and 
nourish  the  Spirit,  and  yet 
at  the  same  time  remain  in 
Heaven  while  He  descends 
to  thee  upon  earth  ;  that 
He  who  hath  essential  feli- 
city should  become  misera- 
ble and  die  for  thee,  and 
then  give  Himself  to  thee 
for  ever  to  redeem  thee  from 
sin  and  misery  ;  that  by 
His  wounds  He  should  pro- 
cure health  to  thee,  by  His 
affronts  He  should  enti- 
tle thee  to  glory,  by  His 
death  He  should  bring  thee 
to  life,  and  by  becoming  a 
man  He  should  make  thee 
partaker  of  the  Divine  na- 

»  2  Pet, 


ture°.  These  are  such  glo- 
ries, that  although  they  are 
made  so  obvious  that  each 
eye  may  behold  them,  yet 
they  are  also  so  deep  that 
no  thought  can  fathom 
them  ;  but  so  it  hath  pleas- 
ed Him  to  make  these  mys- 
teries to  be  sensible^  because 
the  excellency  and  depth  of 
the  mercy  is  not  intelligible; 
that  while  we  are  ravished 
and  comprehended  within 
the  infiniteness  of  so  vast 
and  mysterious  a  mercy,  yet 
we  may  be  as  sure  of  it  as 
of  that  thing  we  see  and 
feel  and  smell  and  taste  ; 
but  yet  it  is  so  great,  that 
we  cannot  understand  it. 

9.  These  holy  mysteries 
are  offered  to  our  senses, 
but  not  to  be  placed  under 
our  feet ;  they  are  sensible, 
but  not  common :  and  there- 
fore, as  the  weakness  of  the 
Elements  adds  wonder  to 
the  excellency  of  the  Sacra- 
ment ;  so  let  our  reverence 
and  venerable  usages  of 
them  add  honour  to  the 
Elements,  and  acknowledge 
the  glory  of  the  mystery, 
and  the  Divinity  of  the 
mercy.  Let  us  receive  the 
consecrated  Elements  with 
all  devotion  and  humility 
of  body  and  spirit  ;  and  do 
this  honour  to  it,  that  it  be 
the  first  food  we  eat,  and 

4. 


RECEIVING  THE  HOLT  SACRAMENT. 


272 

the  first  beverage  we  drink  \ 
that  day,  unless  it  be  in  j 
case  of  sickness,  or  other  j 
great  necessity ;  and  that  j 
your  body  and  Soul  both  be 
prepared  to  its  reception 
with  abstinence  from  se- 
cular pleasures,  that  you 
may  better  have  attended 
fastings  and  preparatory 
prayers.  For  if  ever  it  be 
seasonable  to  observe  the 
counsel  of  Saint  Paul,  that 
married  persons  by  consent 
should  abstain  for  a  time, 
that  they  may  attend  to 
solemn  Religion  p,  it  is  now. 
It  was  not  by  Saint  Paul  nor 
the  after-ages  of  the  Church 
called  a  duty  so  to  do,  but 
it  is  most  reasonable  that 
the  more  solemn  actions  of 
Religion  should  be  attended 
to  without  the  mixture  of 
any  thing  that  may  discom- 
pose the  mind,  and  make  it 
more  secular  or  less  religious. 
10.  In  the  act  of  receiv- 
ing, exercise  acts  of  Faith 
with  much  confidence  and 
resignation,  believing  it  not 
to  be  common  bread  and 
wine,  but  holy  in  their  use, 
holy  in  their  signification, 
holy  in  their  change,  and 
holy  in  their  effect :  and 
believe,  if  thou  art  a  worthy 
Communicant,  thou  dost  as 


verily  receive  Christ's  body 
and  blood  to  all  effects  and 
purposes  of  the  Spirit,  as 
thou  dost  receive  the  blessed 
Elements  into  thy  mouth  ; 
that  thou  puttest  thy  finger 
to  His  hand,  and  thy  hand 
into  His  side,  and  thy  lips 
to  His  fontinel  of  blood, 
sucking  life  from  His  heart '' : 
and  yet  if  thou  dost  com- 
municate unworthily,  thou 
eatest  and  drinkest  Christ 
to  thy  danger,  and  death, 
and  destruction.  Dispute 
not  concerning  the  secret  of 
the  mystery,  and  the  nicety 
of  the  manner  of  Christ's 
presence  ;  it  is  sufficient  to 
thee  that  (.hrist  shall  be 
present  to  thy  Soul,  as  an 
instrument  of  grace,  as  a 
pledge  of  the  resurrection, 
as  the  earnest  of  glory  and 
immortality,  and  a  means 
of  many  intermedial  bless- 
ings, even  all  such  as  are 
necessary  for  thee,  and  are 
in  order  to  thy  salvation. 
And  to  make  all  this  good 
to  thee,  there  is  nothing 
necessary  on  thy  part  but  a 
holy  life,  and  a  true  belief 
of  all  the  sayings  of  Christ ; 
amongst  which,  indefinitely 
assent  to  the  words  of  insti- 
tution, and  believe  that 
Christ   in  the   holy  Sacra- 


V  1  Cor.  vii.  5. 

q  Cruci  haeremus,  sanguinem  sugimns,    et    inter    ipsa  Redemptoris 
nostri  vulnera  figimus  linguam.     Cyprian,  de  Caena  Dom. 


RECEIVING  THE  HOLT  SACHAMEXT. 


273 


ment  gives  thee  His  body 
and  His  blood.  He  that 
believes  not  this,  is  not  a 
Christian.  He  that  believes 
so  much,  needs  not  to  in- 
quire further,  nor  to  entan- 
gle His  faith  by  disbelieving 
His  sense. 

11.  Fail  not,  this  solem- 
nity, according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  pious  and  devout 
people,  to  make  an  offering 
to  God  for  uses  of  religion 
and  the  poor  ;  according  to 
thy  ability.  For  Avhen  Christ 
feasts  His  body,  let  us  also 
feast  our  fellow-members 
who  have  right  to  the  same 
promises,  and  are  partakers 
of  the  same  Sacrament,  and 
partners  of  the  same  hope, 
and  cared  for  under  the 
same  providence,  and  de- 
scend from  the  same  com- 
mon parents,  and  whose  Fa- 
ther God  is,  and  Christ  is 
their  elder  brother.  If  thou 
chancest  to  communicate 
where  this  holy  custom  is 
not  observed  publicly,  sup- 
ply that  want  by  thy  pri- 
vate charity ;  but  offer  it  to 
God  at  His  Holy  Table,  at 
least  by  thy  private  design- 
ing it  there. 

12.  When  you  have  re- 
ceived, pray  and  give  thanks. 
Pray  for  all  estates  of  men  ; 
for  they  also  have  an  interest 
in  the  body  of  Christ  where- 

'  Rev. 


of  they  are  members  :  and 
you  in  conjimction  with 
Christ  (Whom  then  you  have 
received)  are  more  fit  to 
pray  for  them  in  that  ad- 
vantage, and  in  the  cele- 
bration of  that  Holy  sacri- 
fice which  then  is  sacra- 
mentally  represented  to  God. 
*  Give  thanks  for  the  passion 
of  our  dearest  Lord  :  re- 
member all  its  parts,  and 
all  the  instruments  of  your 
Redemption  ;  and  beg  of 
God  that  by  a  holy  perse- 
verance in  well-doing  you 
may  from  shadows  pass  on 
to  substances,  from  eating 
His  body  to  seeing  His  face, 
from  the  Typical,  Sacra- 
mental, and  Transient,  to 
the  Real  and  Eternal  Sup- 
per of  the  Lamb^ 

13.  After  the  solemnity 
is  done,  let  Christ  dwell  in 
your  hearts  by  faith,  and 
love,  and  obedience,  and 
conformity  to  His  life  and 
death  :  as  you  have  taken 
Christ  into  you,  ^ortut  Christ 
on  you,  and  conform  every 
faculty  of  your  Soul  and 
body  to  His  holy  image  and 
perfection.  Remember,  that 
now  Christ  is  all  one  Avith 
you ;  and  therefore  when 
you  are  to  do  an  action, 
consider  how  Christ  did  or 
would  do  the  like,  and  do 
you  imitate  His  example, 
xix.  9. 
3 


RECEIVING  THE  HOLT  SACRAMENT. 


274 

and  transcribe  His  copy,  and 
understand  all  His  com- 
mandments, and  choose  all 
that  He  propounded,  and  de- 
sire His  promises,  and  fear 
His  threatenings,  and  marry 
His  loves  and  hatreds,  and 
contract  His  friendships  ; 
for  then  you  do  every  day 
communicate  ;  especially 
when  Christ  thus  dwells  in 
you,  and  you  in  Christ, 
growing  up  towards  a  'per- 
fect man  in  Christ  Jesus^. 

14.  Do  not  instantly  upon 
your  return  from  Church 
return  also  to  the  world, 
and  secular  thoughts  and 
employments ;  but  let  the 
remaining  parts  of  that  day 
be  like  a  post- Communion 
or  an  after-office^  entertain- 
ing your  blessed  Lord  with 
all  the  caresses  and  sweet- 
ness of  love  and  colloquies, 
and  intercourses  of  duty  and 
aflection,  acquainting  Him 
with  all  your  needs,  and  re- 
vealing to  Him  all  your 
secrets,  and  opening  all  your 
infirmities :  and  as  the  af- 
fairs of  your  person  or  em- 
ployment call  you  off,  so  re- 
tire again  with  often  ejacula- 
tions and  acts  of  entertain- 
ment to  your  beloved  Guest. 

The  effects  and   benefits  of 
worthy  Communicating. 

When  I  said  that  the  sa- 

•  Eph. 


crifice  of  the  Cross,  which 
Christ  offered  for  all  the 
sins  and  all  the  needs  of  the 
world,  is  represented  to  God 
by  the  Minister  in  the  Sa- 
crament, and  offered  up  in 
prayer  and  Sacramental  me- 
mory, after  the  manner  that 
Christ  Himself  intercedes  for 
us  in  Heaven  (so  far  as  His 
glorious  priesthood  is  imit- 
able  by  His  ministers  on 
earth)  ;  I  must  of  necessity 
also  mean,  that  all  the  be- 
nefits of  that  sacrifice  are 
then  conveyed  to  all  that 
communicate  worthily.  But 
if  we  descend  to  particulars, 
Then  and  there  the  Church 
is  nourished  in  her  faith, 
strengthened  in  her  hope, 
enlarged  in  her  bowels  with 
an  increasing  charity  :  there 
all  the  members  of  Christ 
are  joined  with  each  other, 
and  all  to  Christ  their  head  ; 
and  we  again  renew  the 
covenant  with  God  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  God  seals  His 
part,  and  we  promise  for 
ours,  and  Christ  unites  both, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  signs 
both  in  the  collation  of 
those  graces  which  we  then 
pray  for  and  exercise  and 
receive  all  at  once.  There 
our  bodies  are  nourished 
with  the  signs,  and  our  Souls 
with  the  mystery :  our  bodies 
receive  into  them  the  seed 
iv.  13. 


RECEIVING  THE  HOLY  SACRAMENT. 


of  an  immortal  nature,  and 
our  Souls  are  joined  with 
Him  who  is  the  first-fruits 
of  the  resurrection  and  never 
can  die.  And  if  we  desire 
any  thing  else  and  need  it, 
here  it  is  to  be  praj'ed  for, 
here  to  be  hoped  for,  here  to 
be  received.  Long  life  and 
health,  and  recovery  from 
sickness,  and  competent  sup- 
port and  maintenance,  and 
peace  and  deliverance  from 
our  enemies,  and  content, 
and  patience,  and  joy,  and 
sanctified  riches,  or  a  cheer- 
ful poverty,  and  liberty,  and 
whatsoever  else  is  a  bles- 
sing, was  purchased  for  us 
by  Christ  in  His  death  and 
resurrection,  and  in  His  in- 
tercession in  Heaven.  And 
this  Sacrament  being  that 
to  our  particulars,  which 
the  great  mysteries  are  in 
themselves,  and  by  design 
to  all  the  world,  if  we  re- 
ceive worthily  we  shall  re- 
ceive any  of  these  bles- 
sings, according  as  God  shall 
choose  for  us  ;  and  He  will 
not  only  choose  with  more 
wisdom,  but  also  with  more 
affection,  than  we  can  for 
ourselves. 

After  all  this,  it  is  ad- 
vised by  the  Guides  of  Souls, 
wise  men  and  pious,  that  all 
persons  should  communi- 
cate   very   often,    even    as 

*  L'Evesciue  de  Geneve 


275 

often  as  they  can,  without 
excuses  or  delays.  Every 
thing  that  puts  us  from  so 
holy  an  employment  when 
we  are  moved  to  it,  being 
either  a  sin  or  an  imperfec- 
tion, an  infirmity  or  inde- 
votion,  and  an  unactiveness 
of  Spirit.  All  Christian 
people  must  come.  They 
indeed  that  are  in  the  state 
of  sin  must  not  come  so, 
but  yet  they  must  come. 
First  they  must  quit  their 
state  of  death,  and  then 
partake  of  the  bread  of  life. 
They  that  are  at  enmity 
with  their  neighbours  must 
come,  that  is  no  excuse  for 
their  not  coming  ;  only  they 
must  not  bring  their  enmity 
along  with  them,  but  leave 
it,  and  then  come*.  They 
that  have  variety  of  secular 
employments  must  come  ; 
only  they  must  leave  their 
secular  thoughts  and  affec- 
tions behind  them,  and  then 
come  and  converse  with  God. 
If  any  man  be  well  grown 
in  grace,  he  must  needs 
come,  because  he  is  excel- 
lently disposed  to  so  lioly  a 
feast  ;  but  he  that  is  but  in 
the  infancy  of  piety  had 
need  to  come,  that  so  he 
may  grow  in  grace.  The 
strong  must  come,  lest  they 
become  weak  ;  and  the 
weak,  that  they  may  become 

.  introd.  a  la  vie  devote, 


276 


RECEIVING  THE  HOLY  SACRAMENT. 


strong.  The  sick  must  come 
to  be  cured,  the  healthful 
to  be  preserved.  They  that 
have  leisvure  must  come,  be- 
cause they  have  no  excuse  : 
they  that  have  no  leisure 
must  come  hither,  that  by 
so  excellent  Religion  they 
may  sanctify  their  business. 
The  penitent  sinners  must 
come,  that  they  may  be  jus- 
tified ;  and  they  that  are 
justified.,  that  they  may  he 
justi-fied  still.  They  that 
have  fears  and  great  rever- 
ence to  these  mysteries,  and 
think  no  preparation  to  be 
sufficient,  must  receive,  that 
they  may  learn  how  to  re- 


ceive the  more  worthily  : 
and  they  that  have  a  less 
degree  of  reverence,  must 
come  often  to  have  it  height- 
ened :  that,  as  those  crea- 
tures that  live  amongst  the 
snows  of  the  mountains  turn 
white  with  their  food  and 
conversation  with  such  per- 
petual whitenesses  ;  so  our 
Souls  may  be  transformed 
into  the  similitude  and  union 
with  Christ  by  our  perpetual 
feeding  on  Him,  and  cou- 
j  versation,  not  only  in  His 
Courts,  but  in  His  very 
heart,  and  most  secret  af- 
fections, and  incomparable 
purities. 


PRAYERS  FOR  ALL  SORTS  OP  MEN  AND  ALL  NECESSITIES  ; 
RELATING  TO  THE  SEVERAL  PARTS  OF  THE  VIRTUE  OF 
RELIGION. 


A  Prayer  for  the  Graces  of 
Faith,  Rope.,  Charity. 

0  Lord  God  of  infinite 
mercy,  of  infinite  excellen-  ' 
cy,  who  has  sent  Thy  holy 
Son  into  the  world  to  re- 
deem us  from  an  intolerable 
misery,  and  to  teach  us  a 
holy  religion,  and  to  forgive 
us  an  infinite  debt  ;  give 
me  Thy  Holy  Spirit,  that 
my  understanding  and  all 
my  faculties  may  be  so  re- 
signed to  the  discipline  and 
doctrine  of  my  Lord,  that  I 
may  be  prepared  in  mind 


and  will  to  die  for  the  tes- 
timony of  Jesus,  and  to  suf- 
fer any  afiliction  or  calamity 
that  shall  ofiTer  to  hinder  my 
duty,  or  tempt  me  to  shame 
or  sin  or  apostasy  :  and  let 
my  faith  be  the  parent  of  a 
good  life,  a  strong  shield  to 
repel  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
Devil,  and  the  Author  of  a 
holy  hope,  of  modest  desires, 
of  confidence  in  God,  and  of 
a  never-failing  charity  to 
Thee  my  God,  and  to  all  the 
world  ;  that  I  may  never 
have  my  portion  with  the 
unbelievers,  or  uncharitable 


"1>RAYEES  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


277 


and  desperate  persons ;  but 
may  he  supported  by  the 
strengths  of  faith  in  all 
temptations,  and  may  be 
refreshed  with  the  comforts 
of  a  holy  hope  in  all  my 
sorrows,  and  may  bear  the 
burden  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  infirmities  of  my  neigh- 
bour by  the  support  of  cha- 
rity ;  that  the  yoke  of  Jesus 
may  become  easy  to  me,  and 
my  love  may  do  all  the  mi- 
racles of  grace,  till  from 
grace  it  swell  to  glory,  from 
earth  to  Heaven,  from  duty 
to  reward,  from  the  imper- 
fections of  a  beginning  and 
little  growing  love  it  may 
arrive  to  the  consummation 
of  an  eternal  and  never- 
ceasing  charity,  through 
JesiLS  Christ  the  Son  of 
Thy  love,  the  Anchor  of 
our  hope,  and  the  Author 
and  finisher  of  our  faith : 
to  whom  with  Thee,  0  Lord 
God,  Father  of  Heaven  and 
Earth,  and  with  Thy  Holy 
Spirit,  be  all  glory,  and  love, 
and  obedience,  and  domi- 
nion, now  and  for  ever. 

Acts  of  Love  hy  way  of 
irrayer  and  ejaculation; 
to  he  used  in  private. 

1.  0  God,  Thou  art  my 
God,  early  ivill  I  seek  Thee  : 
my  sold  thirsteth  for  Thee, 

»  Ps.  Ixiii.  1—3. 

^  Ps.  IxxsiV.  1,  2.  4. 


my  flesh  longeth  for  Thee 
in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land, 
where  no  loater  is;  To  see 
Thy  power  and  Thy  glory, 
so  as  I  have  seen  Thee  in 
the  sanctvMry.  Because  Thy 
loviyig -kindness  is  better  than 
life,  my  lips  shall  praise 
Thee  u. 

2.  /  am  ready  not  only  to 
he  hound,  hut  to  die  for  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus^. 

3.  How  amiable  are  Thy 
tabernacles.  Thou  Lord  of 
Hosts!  My  soul  longeth, 
yea,  even  fainteth  for  the 
courts  of  the  Lord :  my 
heart  and  my  flesh  crieih 
out  for  the  living  God. 
Blessed  are  they  that  dwell 
in  Thy  house ;  they  will 
still  he  praising  Thee^. 

4.  0  blessed  Jesu,  Thou  art 
worthy  of  all  adoration,  and 
all  honour,  and  all  love : 
Thou  art  the  Wonderful, 
the  Counsellor,  the  mighty 
God,  the  Everlasting  Father, 
the  Prince  of  peace  ;  of  Thy 
government  and  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end  ^ :  Thou  art 
the  brightness  of  Thy  Fa- 
ther's glory,  the  express 
image  of  His  person,  the 
appointed  Heir  of  all  things. 
Thou  upholdest  all  things 
by  the  word  of  Thy  power ; 
Thou  didst  by  Thyself  purge 
our  sins  :  Thou  art  set  on 

*  Acts  xxi.  13. 

*  Isa.  ix.  6,  7. 


278 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


the  right  hand  of  the  Ma- 
jesty on  high  :  Thou  art 
made  better  than  the  An- 
gels, Thou  hast  by  inheri- 
tance obtained  a  more  ex- 
cellent name  than  they". 
Thou,  0  dearest  Jesus,  art 
the  head  of  the  Church,  the 
beginning  and  the  first-born 
from  the  dead  :  in  all  things 
Thou  hast  the  preeminence, 
and  it  pleased  the  Father 
that  in  Thee  should  all  ful- 
ness dwell ''.  Kingdoms  are 
in  love  with  Thee :  Kings  lay 
their  Crowns  and  Sceptres 
at  Thy  feet,  and  Queens  are 
Thy  handmaids,  and  wash 
the  feet  of  Thy  servants. 

A  Prater  to  be  said  in  any 
afjiiction,  as  death  of  chil- 
dren, of  husband  or  wife, 
in  great  poverty,  in  im- 
jyrisonment,  in  a  sad  and 
disconsolate  spirit,  and  in 
temptaiions  to  despair. 

0  Eternal  God,  Father  of 
Mercies  and  God  of  all  com- 
fort, with  much  mercy  look 
upon  the  sadnesses  and  sor- 
rows of  Thy  servant.  My 
sins  lie  heavy  upon  me,  and 
press  me  sore,  and  there  is 
no  health  in  my  bones  by 
reason  of  Thy  displeasure 
and  my  sine.  The  waters 
are  gone  over  me,  and  I 
stick  fast  in  the  deep  mire  '*, 

»  Heb.  i.  2—4. 
•^  Ps.  xxxviii.  2,  3. 


and  my  miseries  are  without 
comfort,  because  they  are 
punishments  of  my  sin  :  and 
I  am  so  evil  and  unworthy  a 
person,  that  though  I  have 
great  desires,  yet  I  have  no 
dispositions  or  worthiness 
towards  receiving  comfort. 
My  sins  have  caused  my 
sorrow,  and  my  sorrow  does 
not  cure  my  sins  :  and  un- 
less for  Thy  own  sake,  and 
merely  because  Thou  art 
good.  Thou  shalt  pity  me 
and  relieve  me,  I  am  as 
much  without  remedy  as 
now  I  am  without  comfort. 
Lord,  pity  me  ;  Lord,  let 
Thy  grace  refresh  my  spirit, 
Let  Thy  comforts  support 
me.  Thy  mercy  pardon  me, 
and  never  let  my  portion  be 
amongst  hopeless  and  ac- 
cursed spirits  :  for  Thou  art 
good  and  gracious  ;  and  I 
throw  myself  upon  Thy  mer- 
cy. Let  me  never  let  my 
hold  go,  and  do  Thou  with 
me  what  seems  good  in  Thy 
OAvn  eyes.  I  cannot  sufier 
more  than  I  have  deserved : 
and  yet  I  can  need  no  relief 
so  great  as  Thy  mercy  is : 
for  Thou  art  infinitely  more 
merciful  than  I  can  be  mi- 
serable ;  and  Thy  mercy, 
which  is  above  all  Thy  own 
works,  must  needs  be  far 
above  all  my  sin  and  all  my 

b  Col.  i.  18,  19. 
d  Ps.  Ixix.  1,  2. 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


279 


misery.  Dearest  Jesus,  let 
me  trust  in  Thee  for  ever, 
and  let  me  never  be  con- 
founded.    Amen. 

Ejaculations  and  short  me- 
ditations to  he  used  in 
time  of  Sichiiess  and  tSo?'- 
row;  or  danger  of  Death. 

Hear  my  Prayer^  0  Lord, 
and  let  my  cry  come  unto 
Thee.  *  Hide  not  Thy  face 
from  me  in  the  time  of  my 
trouble,  incline  Thine  ear 
unto  me  ivhen  I  call :  Ohear 
Tne,  and  that  right  soon. 
*  For  my  days  are  consumed 
like  smoke,  and  my  hones  are 
hurnt  up  as  it  icere  a  fire- 
hrand.  *  My  heart  is  smit- 
ten down  and  withered  like 
grass,  so  that  I  forget  to  eat 
my  hread  :  And  that  because 
of  Thine  indignation  and 
wrath  :  for  Thou  hast  ta- 
ken me  up  and  cast  me 
down  e.  *  Th  ine  arro  ws  stick 
fast  in  me,  and  Thine  hand 
presseth  me  sore.  There  is 
no  health  in  my  flesh  because 
of  Thy  displeasure,  neither 
is  there  any  rest  in  my  hones 
hy  reason  of  my  sin.  '^  My 
wickednesses  are  gone  over 
my  head,  and  are  a  sore 
burden  too  heavy  for  me  to 
hear.  *  But  /  ?6"  ill  co  nfess  my 


wickedness,  and  he  sorry  for 
my  sin^.  *0  Lord,  rebuke 
me  not  in  Thiiu  indignation, 
neither  chasten  me  in  Thy 
displeasure  s.  *Lord,  be  mer- 
ciful unto  'ine  :  heal  my 
sold  :  for  I  have  sinned 
against  Thee^. 

Have  mercy  upon  me,  0 
God,  after  Thy  great  good- 
7iess ;  according  to  the  mul- 
titude of  Thy  mercies  do 
away  mine  offences  ^.  *  0  re- 
member not  the  sins  and 
offences  of  my  youth :  hut  ac- 
cording to  Thy  mercy  think 
Thou  upo7i  me,  0  Lord,  for 
Thy  goodness^.  *  Wash  me 
throughly  from  my  wicked- 
ness :  and  cleanse  me  from 
my  sin.  *  Make  me  a  clean 
heart,  0  God,  and  renew  a 
right  spirit  ivithin  me. 
*  Cast  me  not  away  from  Thy 
presence,  from  Thy  all-hal- 
lowing and  life-giving  pre- 
sence :  and  take  not  Thy  holy 
Spirit,  Thy  sanctifying,  Thy 
guiding,  Thy  comforting. 
Thy  supporting  and  con- 
firming Spirit /row  one^. 

0  God,  Thou  art  my  God 
for  ever  and  ever  :  Thou 
shalt  he  my  guide  unto 
death^.  "^Lord,  comfort  me 
noAv  that  I  lie  sick  upon  my 
bed  :  make  Thou  my  bed  in 
all  my  sichiess " .  *  0  deliver 


e  Ps.  cii.  1 — 4, 10. 

'■  Ps.  xli.  4. 

1  Ps.li.  2,  10,  11. 


Ps.  xxxviii.  2- 
Ps.  li.  1. 
'  Ps.  xlviii.  14. 


-4,  18. 


s  Ps.  vi.  1. 
''  Ps.  XXV.  7. 
°  Ps.  xli.  3. 


280 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


my  soul  from  the  place  of 
Hell  :  and  do  Thou  receive 
me  0.  * J/y  heart  is  disquieted 
within  m£,  mid  the  fear  of 
death  is  fallen  upon  me'^. 
*  Behold  Thou,  hast  made  my 
days  as  it  were  a  span  long, 
and  my  age  is  even  as  no- 
thing in  respect  of  Thee ; 
and  verily  every  man  living 
is  altogether  vanity.  *  When 
Thou  ivith  rebukes  dost  chas- 
ten man  for  sin,  Thou  mah- 
est  his  beauty  to  consume 
away  like  a  moth  fretting  a 
garment :  every  man  there- 
fore is  but  vanity.  *  And 
oiow,  Lord,  what  is  my  hope  ? 
tridy  my  hope  is  even  in 
Thee.  *  Hear  my  prayer,  0 
Lord,  and  with  Thine  ears 
consider  my  calling  :  hold 
not  Thy  peace  at  my  tears. 
*Take  thisj^lague  away  from 
me:  lam  consumed  by  the 
means  of  Thy  heavy  hand. 
'^^  lam  a  stranger  with  Thee 
ami  a  sojourner,  as  all  my 
fathers  tvere.  *  0  spare  me  a 
little,  that  I  may  recover  my 
strength  before  /  go  hence 
and  be  no  more  seen  '^.  *  My 
Sold  cleaveth  unto  the  dust: 
0  quicken  me  according  to 
Thy  ivord ^.  *  And  when  the 
snares  of  death  compass  me 
round  about,  let  not  the 
pains  of  hell  take  hold  upon 


An  Act  of  Faith  concernin/f 
Resurrection  and  the  day 
of  Judgment,  to  be  said 
by  sick  persons  or  medi- 
tated. 

1  know  that  my  Redeemer 
liveth,  and  that  He  shall 
stand  at  the  latter  day  upon 
the  earth  :  and  though  cfter 
my  skin  worms  destroy  this 
body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I 
see  God  :  whom  I  shall  see 
for  myself,  and  mine  eyes 
shall  behold,  though  my  reins 
be  consumed  within  meK 

God  shall  come  and  shall 
not  keep  silence  :  there  shall 
go  before  Him  a  consuming 
fire,  and  a  mighty  tempest 
shall  be  stirred  up  round 
about  Him  :  He  shall  call  the 
heaven  from  cd)ove,  and  the 
earth,  that  He  may  judge  His 
people"^.  *0  blessed  Jesic, 
Thou  art  my  Judge  and 
Thou  art  my  Advocate  : 
have  mercy  upon  me  in  the 
hour  of  my  death,  and  in 
the  day  of  judgment.  See 
John  V.  28.  and  1  Thess.  iv. 
15. 

Short  Prayers  to  be  said  by 
sick  persons. 

0  Holy  Jesus,  Thou  art  a 
merciful  High-Priest  and 
touched  with  the  sense  of 
our  infirmities  :  Thou  know- 


°  Ps.  xlix.  15.  P  Ps.  Iv.  4.  1  Ps.  xxxix.  5,  7,  10,  12,  13. 

Ps.  cxix.  25.      *  Ps.  cxvi.  3.     '  Job  xis.  25—27.     »  Ps.  1.  3,  4. 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


281 


est  the  sharpness  of  my 
sickness  and  the  weakness 
of  mj  person.  The  clouds 
are  gathered  about  me,  and 
Thou  hast  covered  me  with 
Thy  storm  :  my  understand- 
ing hath  not  such  appre- 
hension of  things  as  for- 
merly. Lord,  let  Thy  mercy 
support  me,  Thy  Spirit 
giiide  me,  and  lead  me 
through  the  valley  of  this 
death  safely ;  that  I  may 
pass  it  patiently,  holily,  with 
perfect  resignation  ;  and  let 
me  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  in 
the  hopes  of  pardon,  in  the 
expectation  of  glory,  in  the 
sense  of  Thy  mercies,  in  the 
refreshments  of  Thy  spirit, 
in  a  victory  over  all  temp- 
tations. 

Thou  hast  promised  to  be 
with  us  in  tribulation.  Lord, 
my  Soul  is  troubled,  and 
my  body  is  weak,  and  my 
hope  is  in  Thee,  and  my 
enemies  are  busy  and 
mighty  ;  now  make  good 
Thy  holy  promise.  Now, 
0  holy  Jesus,  now  let  Thy 
hand  of  grace  be  upon  me  : 
restrain  my  ghostly  ene- 
mies, and  give  me  all  sorts 
of  spiritual  assistances. 
Lord,  remember  Thy  ser- 
vant in  the  day  when  Thou 
bindest  up  Thy  Jewels. 

0  take  from  me  all  te- 
diousness  of  Spirit,  all  im- 
patiency  and  unquietness  : 


let  me  possess  my  soul  in 
patience,  and  resign  my 
Soul  and  body  into  Thy 
hands,  as  into  the  hands  of 
a  faithful  Creator,  and  a 
i  blessed  Redeemer. 

0  holy  Jesit,  Thou  didst 
die  for  us ;  by  Thy  sad 
1  pungent  and  intolerable 
'  pains  which  Thou  enduredst 
I  for  me,  have  pity  on  me, 
and  ease  my  pain,  or  in- 
crease my  patience.  Lay 
on  me  no  more  than  Thou 
shalt  ena-ble  me  to  bear.  I 
have  deserved  it  all  and 
more,  and  infinitely  more. 
Lord,  I  am  weak  and  ig- 
norant, timorous  and  incon- 
stant, and  I  fear  lest  some- 
thing should  happen  that 
may  discompose  the  state  of 
my  Soul,  that  may  displease 
Thee  :  do  what  Thou  wilt 
with  me,  so  Thou  dost  but 
preserve  me  in  Thy  fear  and 
favour.  Thou  knowest  that 
it  is  my  great  fear  ;  but  let 
Thy  spirit  secure,  that  no- 
thing may  be  able  to  sepa- 
rate me  from  the  love  of 
God  in  Jesus  Christ :  then 
smite  me  here,  that  Thou 
mayest  spare  me  for  ever  : 
and  yet,  0  Lord,  smite  me 
friendly  ;  for  Thou  knowest 
my  infirmities.  Into  Thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit, 
for  Thou  hast  redeemed  me, 
0  Lord,  thou  God  of  truth. 
*Come,  Holy  Spirit,  help  me 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


in  this  conflict.  Come,  Lord 
Jesus,  come  quickly. 

IT  Let  the  Sick  man  often 
meditate  upon  these  fol- 
lowing promises  and  gra- 
cious words  of  God. 
My  help  cometh  of  the 
Lord,  loho  preserveth  them 
that  are  true  of  heart". 

And  all  they  that  hioio 
Thy  Name  will  "put  their 
trust  in  Thee  :  for  Thou, 
Lord,  hast  never  failed  them 
that  seek  Thee"^. 

0  how  "plentiful  is  Thy 
goodness  which  Thou  hast 
laid  up  for  tliem  that  fear 
Thee,  and  that  Thou  hast 
prepared  for  them  that  put 
their  trust  in  Thee,  even  he- 
fore  the  sons  of  men''! 

Behold,  the  eye  of  the  Lord 
is  upon  them  that  fear  Him, 
and  upon  them  that  put 
their  trust  in  His  mercy, 
to  deliver  their  souls  from 
death*. 

The  Lord  is  nigh  unto 
them  that  are  of  a  contrite 
heart",  and  will  save  such 
as  are  of  an  humble  spirit ". 
Thou,  Lord,  shalt  save 
both  man  and  beast ;  how 
excellent  is  Thy  mercy,  0 
God  I  and  the  children  of 
men  shall  put  their  trust 


under   the  shadow  of  Thy 
wings ". 

They  shall  he  satisfied 
with  theplenteousnessofThy 
house  :  and  Thou  shalt  give 
them  to  drink  of  Thy  plea- 
sures as  out  of  the  rivers  c. 

For  with  Thee  is  the  well 
of  life  ;  and  in  Thy  light  we 
shall  see  light ^. 

Commit  thy  way  unto  the 
Lord,  and  put  thy  trust  in 
Him,  and  He  shall  bring  it 
to  pass^ . 

But  the  salvation  of  the 
righteous  cometh  of  the  Lord: 
ivho  is  also  their  strength  in 
the  time  of  trouble^. 

So  that  a  man  shall  say, 
Verily  there  is  a  reward  for 
the  righteous:  doubtless  there 
is  a  God  that  judgeth  the 
earth's. 

Blessed  is  the  7ncCn  whom 
Thou  choosest  aixd  receivest 
unto  Thee :  he  shall  dwell  in 
Thy  court^and  shall  be  satis- 
fied ivith  the  pleasures  of  Thy 
house,  even  of  Thy  holy  tem- 
ple^. 

They  that  sow  in  tears 
shall  reap  in  joy '^. 

It  is  written,  I  will  never 
leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee^. 

The  Prayer  of  faith  shall 
save  the  sick  ;  and  the  Lord 
shall  raise  him  up  :  and  if 


'  Pg.  vii.  10.       ^  Ps.  ix.  10.       y  Ps.  xxxi.  19.       «  Ps.  xxxiii.  17,  18. 

a  Ps.  xxxiv.  18.         •>  Ps.  xxxvi.  7.         <=  Ver.  8.  d  Ver.  9. 

*  Ps.  xxxvii.  5.  '  Ver.  39.  g  Ps.  Iviii.  11.         *»  Ps.  Ixv.  4. 

J  Ps.  czsvi.  5.  ^  Heb.  xiii.  5. 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


283 


ue  have  committed  sins,  they 
',hcdl  he  forgiven  him^. 

Come,  and  let  us  return 
into  the  Lord  :  for  He  hath 
\orn,  and  He  will  heal  us  ; 
He  hath  smitten^  and  He 
will  bind  us  up "". 

Ifive  sin,  we  have  an  Ad- 
vocate with  the  Father,  Jesus 
Christ  the  righteous  ;  And 
He  is  the  propitiation  for 
our  si^is". 

If  we  confess  our  sins.  He 
is  faithful  and  righteous  to 
forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  frorii  all  unright- 
eousness °. 

He  that  forgives  shall  be 
forgiven"^. 

And  this  is  the  confidence 
that  we  have  in  Him,  that  if 
we  ask  any  thing  according 
to  His  will,  He  heareth  US'*. 

A  nd  ye  know  that  He  was 
manifested  to  take  away  our 
sins'. 

If  ye  being  evil  know  to 
give  good  things  to  your 
children,  hoiv  much  more 
shall  your  Father  which  is 
iti  Heaven  give  good  things 
to  them  that  ask  Him^? 

This  IS  a  faithful  saying 
and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, that  Jesus  Christ  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sin- 


*  He  that  hath  given  us 
His  Son,  how  should  not  He 
with  Him  give  us  all  things 
else''? 

Acts  of  Hope  to  be  used  by 
sick  persons  after  a  pious 
life. 

1.  /  am  persuaded  that 
neither  death,  nor  life,  nor 
Angels,  nor  Principalities, 
nor  powers,  nor  things  pre- 
sent, nor  things  to  come,  nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature  shall  be  able 
to  separate  me  from  the  love 
of  God  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord^. 

2.  /  have  fought  a  good 
fight,  I  have  finished  my 
course,  I  have  kept  the  faith: 
Hejiceforth  there  is  laid  up 
for  Tne  a  crown  of  righteous- 
ness, which  the  Lord  the 
righteous  Judge  shall  give 
me  at  that  day;  and  not  to 
me  only,  but  unto  all  them 
also  that  love  His  appear- 
ing y. 

3.  Blessed  be  God,  even 
the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Father  of  mercies 
and  the  God  of  all  comforts, 
Who  comforts  us  in  all  our 
tribulation'^. 


Jam.  V.  15. 
1  John  i.  9. 
1  John  iii.  5. 
Bom.  viii.  32. 


m  Hos.  vi.  1. 

P  Luke  vi.  37. 

•  Matth.  vii.  11. 
"  Rom.  viii.  38,  39. 
^  2  Cor.  i.  3,  4. 


I  John  ii.  1,  2. 
1  John  V.  14. 

1  Tim  i.  15. 

2  Tim.  iv.  7,  8. 


284 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS, 


A  Prayer  to  he  mid  in  le- 
Jtalf  of  a  sick  or  dying 
person. 

0  Lord  God,  there  is  no 
number  of  Thy  days  nor  of 
Thy  mercies,  and  the  sins 
and  sorrows  of  Thy  servant 
also  are  multiplied.  Lord, 
look  upon  him  with  much 
mercy  and  pity,  forgive  him 
all  his  sins,  comfort  his 
sorrows,  ease  his  pain,  sa- 
tisfy his  doubts,  relieve  his 
fears,instruct  his  ignorances, 
strengthen  his  understand- 
ing, take  from  him  all  dis- 
orders of  spirit,  weakness 
and  abuse  of  fancy.  Re- 
strain the  malice  and  power 
of  the  spirits  of  darkness  ; 
and  suffer  him  to  be  injured 
neither  by  his  ghostly  ene- 
mies, nor  his  own  infirmi- 
ties :  and  let  a  holy  and  a 
just  peace,  the  peace  of  God, 
be  within  his  conscience. 

Lord,  preserve  his  senses 
till  the  last  of  his  time  ; 
strengthen  his  faith,  con- 
firm his  hope,  and  give 
him  a  never-ceasing  charity 
to  Thee  our  God,  and  to  all 
the  world  :  stir  up  in  him  a 
great  and  proportionable 
contrition  for  all  the  evils 
he  hath  done,  and  give  him 
a  just  measure  of  patience 
for  all  he  suffers,  give  him 
prudence,  memory,  and  con- 
sideration, rightly  to  state 


the  accounts  of  his  soul  ; 
and  do  Thou  remind  him  oi 
all  his  duty,  that  when  if 
shall  please  Thee  that  hia 
Soul  goes  out  from  the  pri- 
son of  his  body,  it  may  be 
received  by  Angels,  and  pre- 
served from  the  surprise  of 
evil  spirits,  and  from  the 
hortors  and  amazements  of 
new  and  strange  regions, 
and  be  laid  up  in  the  bosom 
of  our  Lord,  till  at  the  day 
of  Thy  second  coming  it 
shall  be  re-united  to  the 
body,  which  is  now  to  be 
laid  down  in  weakness  and 
dishonour,  but  we  humbly 
beg  may  then  be  raised  up 
with  glory  and  power  for 
ever  to  live,  and  to  behold 
the  face  of  God  in  the  glories 
of  the  Lord  Je.SM.s,  Who  is  our 
hope,  our  resurrection,  and 
our  life,  the  light  of  our 
eyes  and  the  joy  of  our 
souls,  our  blessed  and  ever- 
glorious  Redeemer.    Amen. 

Hither  the  sick  persons  vaay 
draw  in  and  use  the  acts 
of  several  virtvycs  respersed 
in  the  several  parts  of  this 
hook,  the  several  Litanies, 
viz.  of  Repentance,  of  the 
Passion,  atid  the  siiiyle 
prayers,  according  to  his 
present  needs. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  in  a 
Storm  at  Sea. 
0  my  God,   Thou   didst 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


285 


create  the  Earth  and  the 
Sea  for  Thy  glory  and  the 
use  of  man,  and  dost  daily 
shew  wonders  in  the  deep  : 
look  upon  the  danger  and 
fear  of  Thy  servant.  My 
shis  have  taken  hold  upon 
me,  and  without  the  sup- 
porting arm  of  Thy  mercy 
I  cannot  look  up  ;  but  my 
trust  is  in  Thee.  Do  Thou, 
0  Lord,  rebuke  the  sea,  and 
make  it  calm  ;  for  to  Thee 
the  winds  and  the  sea  obey : 
let  not  the  waters  swallow 
me  up,  but  let  Thy  Spirit, 
the  Spirit  of  gentleness 
and  mercy,  move  upon  the 
waters.  Be  Thou  reconciled 
unto  Thy  servants,  and  then 
the  face  of  the  waters  will 
be  smoothe.  I  fear  that  my 
sins  make  me,  like  Jonas, 
the  cause  of  the  tempest. 
Cast  out  all  my  sins,  and 
throw  not  Thy  servants 
away  from  Thy  presence 
and  from  the  land  of  the  liv- 
ing, into  the  depths  where 
all  things  are  forgotten. 
But  if  it  be  Thy  will  that 
we  shall  go  down  into  the 
waters.  Lord,  receive  my 
Soul  into  Thy  holy  hands, 
and  preserve  it  in  mercy 
and  safety  till  the  day  of 
restitution  of  all  things  : 
and  be  pleased  to  unite  my 
death  to  the  death  of  Thy 
Son,  and  to  accept  of  it  so 
united  as  a  punishment  for 


all  my  sins,  that  thou  mayest 
forget  all  Thine  anger,  and 
blot  my  sins  out  of  Thy 
book,  and  write  my  soul 
there,  for  Jesus  Christ  His 
sake,  our  dearest  Lord  and 
most  mighty  Redeemer. 
Amen. 

Then  make  an  act  of  Resig- 
nation  thus  : 

To  God  pertain  the  issues 
of  life  and  death.  It  is  the 
Lord, let  Ilim  do  what  seem- 
eth  good  in  His  own  eyes. 
Thy  will  be  done  in  earth 
as  it  is  in  Heaven. 

Recite  Psalm  107.  and 
130. 

A  form  of  a  Vow  to  be 
m/xde  in  this  or  the  like 
danger. 

If  the  Lord  will  be  gra- 
cious and  hear  the  Prayer 
of  His  servant,  and  bring 
me  safe  to  shore,  then  I  will 
praise  Him  secretly  and 
publicly,  and  pay  unto  the 
uses  of  charity  [or  Religion] 
\then  name  the  sum  you 
design  for  holy  uses.~\ 
0  my  God,  my  goods  are 
nothing  unto  Thee  :  I  will 
also  be  Tby  servant  all  the 
days  of  my  life,  and  re- 
member this  mercy  and  my 
present  purposes,  and  live 
more  to  God's  glory,  and 
with  a  stricter  duty.     And 


286 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


do  Thou  please  to  accept 
this  vow  as  an  instance  of 
my  importunity,  and  the 
greatness  of  my  needs :  and 
be  Thou  graciously  moved 
to  pity  and  deliver  me. 
Amen. 

This  form  also  may  he  used 
in  praying  for  a  blessing 
on  an  enterprize,  and  may 
he  instanced  in  actions  of 
devotion  as  loell  as  of 
Charity. 

A  Prayer  hefore  a  Journey. 

0  Almighty  God,  Who 
fillest  all  things  with  Thy 
presence,  and  art  a  God  afar 
oft  as  well  as  near  at  hand  ; 
Thou  didst  send  Thy  Angel 
to  bless  Jacob  in  his  jour- 
ney %  and  didst  lead  the 
children  of  Israel  through 
the  Red  sea,  making  it  a 
wall  on  the  right  hand  and 
on  the  left  :  be  pleased  to 
let  Thy  Angel  go  out  before 
me  and  guide  me  in  my 
journey,  preserving  me  from 
dangers  of  robbers,  from 
violence  of  enemies,  and 
sudden  and  sad  accidents, 
from  falls  and  errors.  And 
prosper  my  journey  to  Thy 
glory,  and  to  all  my  inno- 
cent purposes :  and  preserve 
me  from  all  sin,  that  I  may 
return  in  peace  and  holiness, 


with  Thy  favour  and  Thy 
blessing,  and  may  serve 
Thee  in  thankfulness  and 
obedience  all  the  days  of 
my  pilgrimage  :  and  at  last 
bring  me  to  Thy  country, 
to  the  celestial  Jerusalem, 
there  to  dwell  in  Thy  house, 
and  to  sing  praises  to  Thee 
for  ever.     Amen. 

Ad  Sect.  4. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  before 
the  hearing  or  reading 
the  Word  of  God. 

0  holy  and  Eternal  Jesus, 
Who  hast  begotten  us  by 
Thy  Word,  renewed  us  by 
Thy  Spirit,  fed  us  by  Thy 
Sacraments  and  by  the  daily 
ministry  of  Thy  word,  still 
go  on  to  build  us  up  to  life 
eternal.  Let  Thy  most  holy 
Spirit  be  present  with  me 
and  rest  upon  me  in  the 
reading  [or  hearing]  Thy 
sacred  Word  :  that  I  may 
do  it  humbly,  reverently, 
without  prejudice,  with  a 
mind  ready  and  desirous  to 
learn  and  to  obey  ;  that  I 
may  be  readily  furnished 
and  instructed  to  every  good 
work,  and  may  practise  all 
Thy  holy  laws  and  com- 
mandments, to  the  glory  of 
Thy  holy  name,  0  holy  and 
eternal  Jesus.     Amen. 


Gen.  xxxii.  ],  24,  29. 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


287 


Ad  Sect.  5,  9,  10. 

A  form  of  confession  of  sins 
and  repentance^  to  he  used 
upon  Fasting-days^  or 
days  of  Humiliation  ;  es- 
pecially in  Lent,  and  he- 
fore  the  Holy  Sacrament. 

Have  mercy  upon  Tne,  0 
God,  after  Thy  great  good- 
ness :  according  to  the  mul- 
titude  of  Thy  mercies  do  away 
mine  offences^.  For  1  will 
confess  mi/  loichedness  and 
he  sorry  for  my  sin'^.  ^O 
my  dearest  Lord,  I  am  not 
worthy  to  be  accounted 
amongst  the  meanest  of 
Thy  servants  ;  not  worthy 
to  be  sustained  by  the  least 
fragments  of  Thy  mercy, 
but  to  be  shut  out  of  Thy 
presence  for  ever  with  dogs 
and  unbelievers.  But  for 
Thy  Name's  sake,  0  Lord, 
he  mercifid  unto  my  sin,  for 
it  is  great*'. 

I  am  the  vilest  of  sinners, 
and  the  worst  of  men ;  proud 
and  vain-glorious,  impatient 
of  scorn  or  of  just  reproof ; 
not  enduring  to  be  slighted, 
and  yet  extremely  deserv- 
ing it :  I  have  been  cozened 
by  the  colours  of  humility  ; 
and  when  I  have  truly  called 
myself  vicious,  I  could  not 
endure  any  man  else  should 


say  so  or  think  so.  I  have 
been  disobedient  to  my  supe- 
riors, churlish  and  ungentle 
in  my  behaviour,  unchristian 
and  unmanly.  But  for  Thy 
Name's  sake,  &c. 

0  just  and  dear  God,  how 
can  I  expect  pity  or  par- 
don, who  am  so  angry  and 
peevish,  with  and  without 
cause,  envious  at  good,  re- 
joicing at  the  evil  of  my 
neighbours,  negligent  of  my 
charge,  idle  and  useless, 
timorous  and  base,  jealous 
and  impudent,  ambitious 
and  hard-hearted,  soft,  un- 
mortified  and  effeminate  in 
my  life,  indevout  in  my 
prayers,  without  fancy  or 
affection,  without  attend- 
ance to  them  or  persever- 
ance in  them  ;  but  passion- 
ate and  curious  in  pleasing 
my  appetite  of  meat  and 
drink  and  pleasures,  mak- 
ing matter  both  for  sin 
and  sickness?  and  I  have 
reaped  the  cursed  fruits  of 
such  improvidence,  enter- 
taining indecent  and  im- 
pure thoughts  ;  and  I  have 
brought  them  forth  in  in- 
decent and  impure  actions, 
and  the  spirit  of  unclean- 
ness  hath  entered  in,  and 
unhallowed  the  temple 
which  Thou  didst  conse- 
crate for  the  habitation  of 
Thy  Spirit  of  love  and  holi- 


»>  Ps.  li.  1. 


c  Ps.  xxxviii.  18. 


"■    Ps.  XXV.  1] 


288 


PKAYERS  FOB  SEVERAL  0CCASI0J5S. 


ness.  But  for  Thy  Name's 
sake  J  0  Lord,  he  mercijul 
unto  my  sin,  for  it  is  great. 

Thou  hast  given  me  a 
whole  life  to  serve  Thee  in, 
and  to  advance  my  hopes  of 
Heaven :  and  this  precious 
time  I  have  thrown  away 
upon  my  sins  and  vanities, 
being  improvident  of  my 
time  and  of  my  talent,  and 
of  my  grace  and  my  own 
advantages,  resisting  Thy 
Spirit  and  quenching  Him. 
I  have  been  a  great  lover  of 
myself,  and  yet  used  many 
ways  to  destroy  myself,  I 
have  pursued  my  temporal 
ends  with  greediness  and 
indirect  means.  I  am  re- 
vengeful and  unthankful, 
forgetting  benefits,  but  not 
so  soon  forgetting  injuries  ; 
curious  and  murmuring,  a 
great  breaker  of  promises. 
I  have  not  loved  my  neigh- 
bour's good,  nor  advanced 
it  in  all  things  where  I 
could.  I  have  been  unlike 
Thee  in  all  things.  I  am 
unmerciful  and  unjust ;  a 
sottish  admirer  of  things 
below,  and  careless  of  Hea- 
ven and  the  ways  that  lead 
thither. 

But  for  Thy  Name's  sake 
0  Lord,  be  merciful  unto 
my  sin,  for  it  is  great. 

All  my  senses  have  been 
windows  to  let  sin  in,  and 
death  by   sin.     Mine   eyes 


have  been  adulterous  and 
covetous ;  mine  ears  open  to  ' 
slander  and  detraction  ;  my 
tongue  and  palate  loose  and 
wanton,  intemperate,  and  of 
foul  language,  talkative  and 
lying,  rash  and  malicious, 
false  and  flattering,  irreligi- 
ous and  irreverent,  detract- 
ing and  censorious ;  my 
hands  have  been  injurious 
and  unclean,  my  passions 
violent  and  rebellious,  my 
desires  impatient  and  un- 
reasonable :  all  my  mem- 
bers and  all  my  faculties 
have  been  servants  of  sin  ; 
and  my  very  best  actions 
have  more  matter  of  pity 
than  of  confidence,  being 
imperfect  in  my  best,  and 
intolerable  in  most.  But  for 
thy  Name  sake,  0  Lord,  &c. 

Unto  this  and  a  far  bigger 
heap  of  sin  I  have  added 
also  the  faults  of  others  to 
my  own  score,  by  neglecting 
to  hinder  them  to  sin  in  all 
that  I  could  and  ought : 
but  I  also  have  encouraged 
them  in  sin,  have  taken  off 
their  fears,  and  hardened 
their  consciences,  and  tempt- 
ed them  directly,  and  pre- 
vailed in  it  to  my  own  ruin 
and  theirs,  unless  Thy  glo- 
rious and  unspeakable  mer- 
cy hath  prevented  so  in- 
tolerable a  calamity. 

Lord,  I  have  abused  Thy 
mercy,  despised  Thy  judg- 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


289 


ments,  turned  Thy  grace 
into  wantonness.  I  have 
been  unthankful  for  Thy 
infinite  loving-kindness.  I 
have  sinned  and  repented, 
and  then  sinned  again,  and 
resolved  against  it  and  pre- 
sently broke  it  ;  and  then  I 
tied  myself  up  with  vows, 
and  then  was  tempted,  and 
then  I  yielded  by  little  and 
little,  till  I  was  willingly 
lost  again,  and  my  vows 
fell  off  like  cords  of  vanity. 

Miserable  man  that  lam  ! 
ivho  shall  deliver  me  from 
this  bodij  of  sin  ^  ? 

And  yet,  0  Lord,  I  have 
another  heap  of  sins  to  be 
unloaded.     My  secret  sins, 

0  Lord,  are  innumerable  ; 
sins  I  noted  not,  sins  that 

1  willingly  neglected,  sins 
that  I  acted  upon  wilful 
ignorance  and  voluntary 
mispersuasion,  sins  that  I 
have  forgot,  and  sins  which 
a  diligent  and  a  Avatchful 
spirit  might  have  prevented, 
but  I  would  not.  Lord,  I 
am  confounded  with  the 
multitude  of  them,  and  the 
horror  of  their  rem  embrance, 
though  I  consider  them 
nakedly  in  their  direct  ap- 
pearance, without  the  de- 
formity of  their  unhand- 
some and  aggravating  cir- 
cumstances :  but  so  dressed, 
they  are  a  sight  too  ugly, 

«  Rom.  vii.  24. 


an  instance  of  amazement, 
infinite  in  degrees,  and  in- 
sufferable in  their  load. 

And  yet  Thou  hast  spared 
me  all  this  while,  and  hast 
not  thrown  me  into  Hell, 
where  I  have  deserved  to 
have  been  long  since,  and 
even  now  to  have  been  shut 
up  to  an  eternity  of  tor- 
ments with  insupportable 
amazement,  fearing  the  re- 
velation of  Thy  Day. 

Miserable  man  that  lam  ! 
ivho  shall  deliver  me  from 
this  body  of  sin  ? 

Thou  shalt  answer  for  me, 
0  Lord  my  OodK  Thou 
that  prayest  for  me,  shall  be 
my  Judge. 

The  Prayer. 

Thou  hast  prepared  for 
me  a  more  healthful  sor- 
row ;  0  deny  not  Thy  ser- 
vant when  he  begs  sor- 
row of  Thee.  Give  me 
a  deep  contrition  for  my 
sins,  a  hearty  detestation 
and  loathing  of  them,  hat- 
ing them  worse  than  death 
with  torments.  Give  me 
grace  entirely,  presently, 
and  for  ever  to  forsake 
them ;  to  walk  with  care 
and  prudence,  with  fear  and 
watchfulness,  all  my  days  ; 
to  do  all  my  duty  Avith  dili- 
gence and  charity,  with  zeal 
and  a  never-fainting  spirit ; 

f  Ps.  xxxviii.  15. 


290 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


to  redeem  the  time,  to  trust 
upon  Thy  mercies,  to  make 
use  of  all  the  instruments 
of  grace,  to  work  out  my 
salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling :  that  Thou  may- 
est  have  the  glory  of  par- 
doning all  my  sins,  and  I 
may  reap  the  fruit  of  all 
Thy  mercies  and  all  Thy 
graces,  of  Thy  patience  and 
long-suffering,  even  to  live 
a  holy  life  here,  and  to  reign 
with  Thee  for  ever,  through 
Jesiis  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

Ad  Sect.  6. 
Special  devotions  to  he  used 
upon  the  Lord's  Day,  and 
the    great     Festivals    of 
Christians. 

1.  In  the  Morning  recite  the 
folloicing  form  of  Thanks- 
giving ;  upon  thp  special 
Festivals  adding  the  coni- 
Tnemoration  of  the  special 
blessings,  according  to  the 
follovjing  Prayers:  add- 
ing such  Prayers  as  you 
shall  choose  otit  of  the 
foregoing  Devotions. 

2.  Besides  the  ordinary  and 
puhlic  duties  of  the  day, 
if  you  retire  into  your 
closet  to  read  and  medi- 
tate, after  you  have  per- 
formed that  duty,  say  the 
Song  of  Saint  Ambrose 
commonly  called  the  "  Te 
Deum,"   or  "  We   praise 


Thee,"  &c.  then  add  the 
Prayers  for  particul<ir 
graces  which  are  at  the 
end  of  the  former  chap- 
ters ;  such  and  as  many 
of  them,  as  shall  fit  your 
present  needs  and  affec- 
tions;  ending  with  the 
Lord's  Prayer.  Th  isforra 
of  devotion  may,  for  va- 
riety, he  indifferently  used 
at  other  times. 

A  form  of  Thanksgiving , 
with  a  'recital  of  public 
and  private  blessings;  to 
he  used  on  Easier-day, 
Whitsunday,  Ascension- 
day,  and  all  Sundays  of 
the  year:  hut  the  middle 
part  of  it  may  he  reserctd 
for  the  more  solemn  Fes- 
tivals, and  the  other  used 
upon  the  ordinary;  as 
every  inan's  aff'ectioiu  or 
leisure  shall  determine. 

[1.]  Ex  Liturgia  S.  Basilii 
magnxt  ex  parte. 
0  Eternal  Essence,  Lord 
God,  Father  Almighty,  Mak- 
er of  all  things  in  Heaven 
I  and  Earth ;  it  is  a  good 
thing  to  give  thanks  to 
Thee,  0  Lord,  and  to  pay  to 
Thee  all  reverence,  worship, 
and  devotion,  from  a  clean 
and  prepared  heart ;  and 
with  an  humble  spirit  to 
present  a  living  and  reason- 
able sacrifice  to  Thy  Holi- 
ness and  Majesty :  for  Thou 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


291 


hast  given  unto  us  the 
knowledge  of  Thy  truth  ; 
and  who  is  able  to  declare 
Thy  greatness,  and  to  re- 
count all  Thy  marvellous 
works  which  I'hou  hast  done 
in  all  the  generations  of  the 
world  ? 

0  Great  Lord  and  Go- 
vernor of  all  things,  Lord 
and  Creator  of  all  things 
visible  and  invisible,  Who 
sittest  upon  the  throne  of 
Thy  Glory,  and  beholdest 
the  secrets  of  the  lowest 
abyss  and  darkness,  Thou 
art  without  beginning,  un- 
circumscribed,  imcompre- 
hensible,  unalterable,  and 
seated  for  ever  unmoveable 
in  Thy  own  essential  hap- 
piness and  tranquillity : 
Thou  art  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jems  Christ,  Who  is, 

Our  Dearest  and  most 
Gracious  Saviour,  our  hope, 
the  Wisdom  of  the  Father, 
the  image  of  Thy  Goodness, 
the  Word  eternal,  and  the 
brightness  of  Thy  person, 
the  power  of  God  from  eter- 
nal ages,  the  true  light  that 
lighteueth  every  man  that 
Cometh  into  the  World,  the 
Redemption  of  man,  and  the 
Sanctification  of  our  Spirits. 

By  Whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
descended  upon  the  Church ; 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  truth, 
the  seal  of  adoption,  the 
earnest  of  the  inheritance 


o2 


of  the  Saints,  the  first-fruits 
of  everlasting  felicity,  the 
life-giving  power,  the  foun- 
tain of  sanctification,  the 
comfort  of  the  Church,  the 
ease  of  the  aflBiicted,  the 
support  of  the  weak,  the 
wealth  of  the  poor,  the 
teacher  of  the  doubtful, 
scrupulous,  and  ignorant ; 
the  anchor  of  the  fearful, 
the  infinite  reward  of  all 
faithful  souls,  by  Whom  all 
reasonable  and  understand- 
ing creatures  serve  Thee, 
and  send  up  a  never-ceasing 
and  a  never-rejected  sacri- 
fice of  prayer  and  praises 
and  adoration. 

All  Angels  and  Arch- 
angels, all  Thrones  and  Do- 
minions, all  Principalities 
and  Powers,  the  Cherubims 
with  many  eyes,  and  the 
Seraphims  covered  with 
wings  from  the  terror  and 
amazement  of  Thy  brightest 
glory ;  these  and  all  the 
powers  of  Heaven  do  per- 
petually sing  praises  and 
never-ceasing  Hymns  and 
eternal  Anthems  to  the 
glory  of  the  eternal  God, 
the  Almighty  Father  of 
Men  and  Angels. 

Holy  is  our  God  :  Holy  is 
the  Almighty  :  Holy  is  the 
Immortal  :  Holy,  Holy, 
Holy,  Lord  God  of  Sabaoth, 
Heaven  and  Earth  are  full 
of  the  JMajesty  of  Thy  glory. 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


Ar,ien.  -^With  these  holy 
and  blessed  Spirits  I  also 
Thy  servant,  0  1  hou  great 
lover  of  Souls,  though  I  be 
unworthy  to  offer  praise  to 
such  a  Majesty,  yet  out  of 
my  bouudeu  duty  humbly 
offer  up  my  heart  and  voice 
to  join  in  this  blessed  quire, 
and  confess  the  glories  of 
the  Lord.  ^  For  Thou  art 
holy,  and  of  Thy  greatness 
there  is  no  end  ;  and  in  Thy 
justice  and  goodness  Thou 
hast  measured  out  to  us  all 
Thy  works. 

Thou  madest  man  out  of 
the  earth,  and  didst  form 
him  after  Thine  own  image : 
Thou  didst  place  him  in  a 
garden  of  pleasure,  and 
gavest  him  laws  of  righte- 
ousness to  be  to  him  a  seed 
of  immortality. 

0  that  men  would  there- 
fore praise  the  Lord  for  His 
goodness;  and  declare  the 
wonders  that  He  hath  done 
for  the  children  of  men  -  ! 

For  when  man  sinned  and 
listened  to  the  whispers  of 
a  tempting  Spirit,  and  re- 
fused to  hear  the  voice  of 
God,  Thou  didst  throw  him 
out  from  Paradise,  and 
sentest  him  to  till  the 
Earth  ;  but  yet  leftest  not 
his  condition  without  reme- 
dy, but  didst  provide  for 
him  the  salvation  of  a  new 


birth,  and  by  the  blood  of 
Thy  Son  didst  r-edeem  and 
pay  the  price  to  Thine  own 
Justice  for  Thine  own  crea- 
ture, lest  the  work  of  Thine 
own  hands  should  perish. 

0  that  men  would  there- 
fore praise  the  Lord,  &c. 

For  Thou,  0  Lord,  in 
every  age  didst  send  testi- 
monies from  Heaven,  bless- 
ings, and  Prophets,  and 
fruitful  seasons,  and 
Preachers  of  righteousness, 
and  Miracles  of  power  and 
mercy :  Thou  spakest  by 
Thy  Prophets,  and  saidst,  / 
will  help  by  One  that  is 
mighty^' ;  and  in  the  ful- 
ness of  time  spakest  to  us 
by  Thy  Son,  by  Whom 
'I'hou  didst  make  both  the 
Worlds  i ;  Who  by  the  word 
of  His  power  sustains  all 
things  in  Heaven  and  Earth ; 
Who  thought  it  no  robbery 
to  be  equal  to  the  Father ; 
Who,  being  before  all  time, 
was  pleased  to  be  born  in 
time,  to  converse  with  men, 
to  be  incarnate  of  a  holy 
Virgin  :  He  emptied  Him- 
self of  all  His  glories,  took 
on  Him  the  form  of  a  ser- 
vant, in  all  things  being 
made  like  unto  us,  in  a  Soul 
of  passions  and  discourse,  in 
a  Body  of  humility  and  sor- 
row, but  in  all  things  inno- 
cent, and  in  all  things  af- 


s  Pb.  cvii.  8. 


>>  Ps.  Ixxxix. 


Heb.  i.  1—3. 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIOXg. 


29: 


flicted;  and  suffered  death 
for  us,  that  we  by  Him 
might  live,  and  be  partakers 
of  His  nature  and  His  glo- 
ries, of  His  body  and  of  His 
Spirit,  of  the  blessings  of 
Earth,  and  of  immortal  feli- 
cities in  Heaven. 

0  that  men  would  there- 
fore 'praise  the  Lord,  &c. 

For  Thou,  0  holy  and  im- 
mortal God,  0  sweetest  Sa- 
viour Jesus,  wert  made  un- 
der the  Law  to  condemn  sin 
in  the  flesh  ;  Thou,  who 
knewest  no  sin,  wert  made 
sin  for  us :  Thou  gavest  to 
us  righteous  Command- 
ments, and  madest  known 
to  us  all  Thy  Father's  will  : 
Thou  didst  redeem  us  from 
our  vain  conversation,  and 
from  the  vanity  of  Idols, 
false  principles,  and  foolish 
confidences,  and  broughtest 
us  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  and  only  God  and  our 
Father,  and  hast  made  us  to 
Thyself  a  peculiar  people, 
of  Thy  own  purchase,  a 
royal  Priesthood,  a  holy 
Nation  :  Thou  hast  washed 
our  Souls  in  the  Laver  of 
Regeneration,  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Baptism :  Thou 
hast  reconciled  us  by  Thy 
Death,  justified  us  by  Thy 
Resurrection,  sanctified  us 
"by  Thy  Spirit,  (sending 
Him  upon  Thy  Church  in 
visible    forms,   and    giving 


Him  in  powers  and  miracles 
and  mighty  signs,  and  con- 
tinuing this  incomparable 
favour  in  gifts  and  sanctify- 
ing graces,  and  promising 
that  He  shall  abide  with  us 
for  ever  :)  Thou  hast  fed  us 
with  Thine  own  broken 
Body,  and  given  drink  to 
our  Souls  out  of  Thine  own 
heart,  and  hast  ascended  up 
on  high,  and  hast  overcome 
all  the  powers  of  Death  a,nd 
Hell,  and  redeemed  us  from 
the  miseries  of  a  sad  eter- 
nity ;  and  sittest  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  making 
intercession  for  us  with  a 
never-ceasing  charity. 

0  that  men  woidd  there- 
fore 'praise  the  Lord,  &c. 

The  grave  could  not  hold 
Thee  long,  0  holy  and  eter- 
nal Jesus  ;  Thy  body  could 
not  see  corruption,  neither 
could  Thy  Soul  be  left  in 
Hell :  Thou  wert  free  among 
the  dead,  and  Thou  breakest 
the  iron  gates  of  Death, 
and  the  bars  and  chains  of 
the  lower  prisons.  Thou 
broughtest  comfort  to  the 
Souls  of  the  Patriarchs,  who 
waited  for  Thy  coming,  who 
longed  for  the  redemption 
of  Man,  and  the  revelation 
of  Thy  Day.  Ahrahmn, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  saw  Thy 
day,  and  rejoiced :  and, 
when  Thou  didst  arise  from 
Thy  bed  of  darkness,  and 


294 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


leftest  the  grave-clotlies  be- 
liinji  Thee,  and  didst  put  on 
a  robe  of  glory,  (over  which 
for  40  days  Thou  didst  wear 
a  veil,)  and  then  enteredst 
into  a  cloud,  and  then  into 
glory  :  then  the  powers  of 
Hell  were  confounded,  then 
Death  lost  its  power  and 
was  swallowed  up  into  vic- 
tory :  and  though  Death  is 
not  quite  destroyed,  yet  it 
is  made  harmless  and  with- 
out a  sting,  and  the  condi- 
tion of  human  nature  is 
made  an  entrance  to  eternal 
glory  ;  and  art  become  the 
Prince  of  Life,  the  first- 
fruits  of  the  Resurrection, 
the  first-born  from  the  dead, 
having  made  the  way  plain 
before  our  faces,  that  we 
may  also  arise  again  in  the 
Resurrection  of  the  last  day, 
when  Thou  shalt  come  again 
imto  us  to  render  to  every 
man  according  to  his  works. 

0  that  men  would  there- 
fore inaise  the  Lord,  &c. 

0  give  thanJcs  unto  the 
Lord,  for  He  is  gracious,  and 
His  mercy  endurethfor  ever  •*. 

0  all  ye  Angels  of  the 
Lord,  -praise  ye  the  Lordj  : 
jjraise  Him  and  magnify 
Hivii  for  ever. 

0  ye  spirits  and  soids  of 
the  Righteous,  praise  ye  the 
Lord :  praise  Himandmag- 
"'^ify  Him  for  ever^. 
■<  Ps.  cvi.  1. 


And  now,  0  Lord  God, 
what  shall  I  render  to  Thy 
Divine  Majesty  for  all  the 
benefits  Thou  hast  done 
unto  Thy  servant  in  my 
personal  capacity  ? 

Thou  art  my  Creator  and 
my  Father,  my  Protector 
and  my  Guardian,  Thou 
hast  brought  me  from  my 
mother's  womb,  Thou  hast 
told  all  my  joints,  and  in 
Thy  book  were  all  my  mem- 
bers written :  Thou  hast 
given  me  a  comely  body, 
Christian  and  careful  pa- 
rents, holy  education:  Thou 
hast  been  my  guide  and  my 
teacher  all  my  days  :  Thou 
hast  given  me  readj'^  facul- 
ties, an  unloosed  tongue, 
a  cheerful  spirit,  straight 
limbs,  a  good  reputation, 
and  liberty  of  person,  a 
quiet  life,  and  a  tender  con- 
science, \_a  loving  wife  or 
husband,  and  hopefid  chil- 
dren.']  Thou  wert  my  hope 
from  my  youth,  through 
Thee  have  I  been  holden 
up  ever  since  I  was  born. 
Thou  hast  clothed  me  and 
fed  me,  given  me  friends 
and  blessed  them  :  given  me 
many  days  of  comfort  and 
health,  free  from  those  sad 
infirmities  with  which  many 
of  Thy  Saints  and  dearest 
servants  are  afflicted.  Thou 
hast  sent  Thy  Angel  to 
e  Benedicite. 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


295 


snatch  me  from  the  violence 
of  fire  and  water,  to  prevent 
precipices,  fracture  of  bones, 
to  rescue  me  from  thunder 
and  lightning,  plague  and 
pestilential  diseases,  murder 
and  robbery,  violence  of 
chance  and  enemies,  and 
all  the  spirits  of  darkness  : 
and  in  the  days  of  son'ow 
Thou  hast  refreshed  me ;  in 
the  destitution  of  provisions 
Thou  hast  taken  care  of  me, 
and  Thou  hast  said  unto 
me,  /  will  never  leave  thee 
nor  forsake  thee^. 

I  will  give  thanJcs  unto 
the  Lord  loith  my  whole 
heart,  secretly  among  the 
faithful  and  in  the  congre- 
gation^. 

Thou,  0  my  dearest  Lord 
and  Father,  hast  taken  care 
of  my  soul,  hast  pitied  my 
miseries,  sustained  my  in- 
firmities, relieved  and  in- 
structed my  ignorances  : 
and  though  I  have  broken 
Thy  righteous  laws  and 
commandments,  run  pas- 
sionately after  vanities,  and 
was  in  love  with  death,  and 
was  dead  in  sin,  and  was 
exposed  to  thousands  of 
temptations,  and  fell  foully, 
and  continued  in  it,  and 
loved  to  have  it  so,  and 
hated  to  be  reformed ;  yet 
Thou   didst   call   me  with 


the  checks  of  conscience, 
with  daily  sermons  and  pre- 
cepts of  holiness,  with  fear 
and  shame,  with  benefits 
and  the  admonitions  of  Thy 
most  Holy  Spirit,  by  the 
counsel  of  my  friends,  by 
the  example  of  good  per- 
sons, with  holy  books  and 
thousands  of  excellent  arts, 
and  wouldst  not  suffer  me 
to  perish  in  my  folly,  but 
didst  force  me  to  attend  to 
Thy  gracious  calling,  and 
hast  put  me  into  a  state  of 
repentance,  and  possibili- 
ties of  pardon,  being  in- 
finitely desirous  I  should 
live,  and  recover,  and  make 
use  of  Thy  grace,  and  par- 
take of  Thy  glories. 

/  ivill  give  thanks  unto 
the  Lord  with  my  whole 
heart,  secretly  among  the 
faithful  and  in  the  congre- 
gation, *  For  salvation  he- 
loiigeth  unto  the  Lord,  and 
Thy  blessing  is  upon  Thy 
servant^.  But  as  for  me^ 
I  will  come  into  Thy  house 
in  the  multitude  of  Thy 
mercies,  and  in  Tliy  fear 
will  I  v:orship  toward  Thy 
h oly  temple  \  "'^  For  of  Th ee, 
and  in  Thee,  and  through 
and  for  Thee  are  allthingsK 
Blessed  he  the  name  of  God 
from  generation  to  genera- 
tion^.   Amen. 


Heb.  xiii.  5. 
Ps.  V.  7. 


e  Ps.  cxi.  1.  h  ps.  iji,  8_ 

i  Rom.  xi.  36.  ^  Ps.  cxiii.  2  ;  Ixxix.  14. 


296 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


A  short  form  of  Thanks- 
giving  to  he  said  ujyon 
any  special  deliverance; 
as  from  Child-birth,  from 
Sickness,  from  Battle,  or 
immiTient  danger  at  Sea 
or  Land,  <kc. 

0  most  merciful  and  gra- 
cious God,  Thou  fountain 
of  all  mercy  and  blessing, 
Thou  hast  opened  the  hand 
of  Thy  mercy  to  fill  me 
with  blessings,  and  the 
sweet  effects  of  Thy  loving 
kindness :  Thou  feedest  us 
like  a  Shepherd,  Thou  go- 
vernest  us  as  a  King,  Thou 
bearest  us  in  Thy  arms  like 
a  nurse,  Thou  dost  cover  us 
under  the  shadow  of  Thy 
wings  and  shelter  us  like  a 
hen ;  Thou  (0  dearest  Lord) 
wakest  for  us  as  a  watch- 
man, Thou  providest  for  us 
like  a  husband,  Thou  lovest 
us  as  a  friend,  and  think- 
est  on  us  perpetually,  as  a 
careful  mother  on  her  help- 
less babe;  and  art  exceed- 
ing merciful  to  all  that  fear 
Thee,  And  now,  0  Lord, 
Thou  hast  added  this  great 
blessing  of  deliverance  from 
my  late  danger,  [here  name 
the  hlessing :']  it  v.-as  Thy 
hand  and  the  help  of  Thy 
mercy  that  relieved  me :  the 
waters  of  affliction  had 
drowned  me,  and  the  stream 
had  gone  over  my  Soul,  if 


the  spirit  of  the  Lord  had 
not  moved  upon  these  wa- 
ters. Thou,  0  Lord,  didst 
revoke  Thy  angry  sentence, 
which  I  had  deserved,  and 
which  was  gone  out  against 
me.  Unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  I 
ascribe  the  praise  and  ho- 
nour of  my  Redemption.  I 
will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in 
Thy  mercy,  for  Thou  hast 
considered  my  trouble,  and 
hast  known  my  Soul  in 
adversity.  As  Thou  hast 
spread  Thy  hand  upon  me 
for  a  covering,  so  also  en- 
large my  heart  with  thank- 
fulness, and  fill  my  mouth 
with  praises,  that  my  duty 
and  returns  to  Thee  may 
be  as  great  as  my  needs  of 
mercy  are;  and  let  Thy 
gracious  favoiu's  and  loving- 
kindness  endure  for  ever 
and  ever  upon  Th}'^  servant ; 
and  grant  that  what  Thou 
hast  sown  in  mercy,  may 
spring  up  in  duty  :  and  let 
Thy  grace  so  strengthen  my 
purposes,  that  I  may  sin  no 
more,  lest  Thy  threatening 
return  upon  me  in  anger, 
and  Thy  anger  break  me 
into  pieces  :  but  let  me  walk 
in  the  light  of  Thy  favour, 
and  in  the  paths  of  Thy 
Commandments  :  that  I, 
living  here  to  the  glory  of 
Thy  Ifame,  may  at  last 
enter  into  the  glory  of  my 
Lord,    to    spend    a    whole 


PRAYESS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


297 


eternity  in  giving  praise  to 
Thy  exalted  and  ever-glo- 
rious Name.    Amen. 

*  We  praise  Thee,  0  God, 
we  acknowledge  Thee  to  be 
the  Lord.  *  All  the  earth 
doth  worship  Thee,  the 
Father  Everlasting.  *  To 
Thee  all  Angels  cry  aloud, 
the  Heavens  and  all  the 
powers  therein.  *  To  Thee 
Cherubim  and  Seraphim 
continually  do  cry,  ^Holy, 
Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  of  Sa- 
baoth  ;  *  Heaven  and  Earth 
are  full  of  the  Majesty  ofThy 
glory.  *  The  glorious  com- 
pany of  the  Apostles  praise 
Thee.  *The  goodly  fellow- 
ship of  the  Prophets  praise 
Thee.  *The  noble  Army  of 
Martyrs  praise  Thee.  *  The 
holy  Church  throughout  all 
the  world  doth  acknowledge 
Thee,  *  The  Father,  of  an 
infinite  Majesty  ;  *  Thine 
honourable,  true,  and  only 
Son ;  *Also  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  Comforter.  *  Thou  art 
the  King  of  Glory,  0  Christ : 
*Thou  art  the  everlasting 
Son  of  the  Father.  *  When 
Thou  tookest  upon  Thee  to 
deliver  man,  Thou  didst  not 
abhor  the  Virgin's  womb. 
*  When  Thou  hadst  over- 
come the  sharpness  of  death. 
Thou  didst  open  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven  to  all  be- 
lievers. *Thou  sittest  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  in  the 


Glory  of  the  Father.  *  W  e  be- 
lieve that  Thou  shalt  come 
to  be  our  Judge.  *  We  there- 
fore pray  Thee,  help  Thy 
servants ;  whom  Thou  hast 
redeemed  with  Thy  pre- 
cious blood.  *Make  them 
to  be  numbered  with  Thy 
Saints  in  glory  everlasting. 

*  0  Lord,  save  Thy  people, 
and    bless  Thine   heritage. 

*  Govern  them,  and  lift 
them  up  for  ever.  *  Day 
by  day  we  magnify  Thee  ; 
and  we  worship  Thy  Name, 
ever,   world    without    end. 

*  Vouchsafe,  0  Lord,  to 
keep  us  this  day  without 
sin.  *  0  Lord,  have  mercy 
upon  us,  have  mercy  upon 
us.  *  0  Lord,  let  Thy  mer- 
cy lighten  upon  us,  as  our 
trust  is  in  Thee.  *  0  Lord, 
in  Thee  have  I  trusted  :  let 
me  never  be  confounded. 
Amen, 

A  Prayer  of  Thanksgiving 
after  the  receiving  of  some 
great  blessing,  as  the  birth 
of  an  Heir,  the  sticcess  of 
an  honest  design,  a  vic- 
tory, a  good  harvest,  dice, 

0  Lord  God,  Father  of 
mercies,  the  Fountain  of 
comfort  and  blessing,  of  life 
and  peace,  of  plenty  and 
pardon,  Who  fillest  Heaven 
with  Thy  glory,  and  Earth 
with  Thy  goodness ;  I  give 
Thee  the  most  earnest,  most 


o3 


298 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


humble,  and  most  enlarged 
returns  of  my  glad  and 
thankful  heart,  for  Thou  hast 
refreshed  me  with  Thy  com- 
forts, and  enlarged  me  with 
Thy  blessing  ;  Thou  hast 
made  my  flesh  and  my  bones 
to  rejoice  :  for  besides  the 
blessings  of  all  mankind, 
the  blessings  of  nature  and 
the  blessings  of  grace,  the 
support  of  every  minute, 
and  the  comforts  of  every 
day,  Thou  hast  opened  Thy 
bosom,  and  at  this  time  hast 
poured  out  an  excellent 
expression  of  Thy  loving- 
kindness  \^he)'e  name  the 
llessing~\.  What  am  I,  0 
Lord,  and  what  is  my  Fa- 
ther's house,  what  is  the 
life  and  what  are  the  capa- 
cities of  Thy  servant,  that 
Thou  shouldst  do  this  unto 
me ;  *  that  the  great  God 
of  Men  and  Angels  should 
make  a  special  decree  in 
Heaven  for  me,  and  send 
out  an  Angel  of  blessing, 
and  instead  of  condemning 
and  ruining  me,  as  I  miser- 
ably have  deserved,  to  dis- 
tinguish me  from  many  my 
equals  and  my  betters,  by 
this  and  many  other  special 
acts  of  grace  and  favour  ? 

Praised  he  the  Lord  daily ^ 
even  the  Lord  that  helpeth 
us,  and  poureth  His  benefits 

'  Ps.  Ixviii,  19,  20,  ">   Ps.  Ixxi 

"  Ps.  cv.  1.  P   Ps.  cix.  29. 


upon  US.  He  is  our  God, 
even  the  God  of  whom  com- 
eth  salvation :  God  is  the 
Lord  by  whom  we  escape 
death'.  Thou  hast  brought 
me  to  great  honour,  and 
comforted  me  on  every 
side "". 

Thou,  Lord,  hast  made 
me  glad  through  Thy  works : 
I  will  rejoice  in  giving 
praise  for  the  operations  of 
Thy  hands «». 

0  give  thanks  unto  the 
Lord,  and  call  upon  His 
name  :  tell  the  people  what 
things  He  hath  done^. 

As  for  me  I  will  give 
great  tbanks  unto  the  Lord, 
and  praise  Him  among  the 
multitude ''. 

Blessed  be  the  Lord  God, 
even  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
Which  only  doeth  wondrous 
and  gracious  things. 

And  blessed  be  the  name 
of  His  Majesty  for  ever : 
and  all  the  earth  shall  be 
filled  with  His  Majesty. 
Amt7i,  Amen'*. 

Glory  be  to  the  Father,  \:c. 

As  it  was  in  the  begin- 
ning. Sec. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  on  the 
Feast  of  Christmas,  or  the 
Birth  of  our  Blessed  Sa- 
viour Jesus  Christ:  the 
same   also   may   he    said 

19.  n  Ps.  xcii.  4. 

q  Ps.  Ixxii.  18,  19. 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


299 


upon  the  Feasts  of  the 
Annunciation  and  Puri- 
fication of  the  B.  Virgin 
Mary. 

0  Holy  and  Almighty 
God,  Father  of  mercies,  Fa- 
ther of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  Thy  love 
and  eternal  mercies,  I  adore 
and  praise  and  glorify  Thy 
infinite  and  unspeakable 
love  and  wisdom,  Who  hast 
sent  Thy  Son  from  the 
bosom  of  felicities  to  take 
upon  Him  our  nature  and 
our  misery  and  our  guilt ; 
and  hast  made  the  Son  of 
God  to  become  the  Son  of 
Man,  that  we  might  become 
the  Sons  of  God,  and  par- 
takers of  the  Divine  nature  : 
since  Thou  hast  so  exalted 
human  nature,  be  pleased 
also  to  sanctify  my  person  ; 
that  by  a  conformity  to  the 
humility  and  laws  and  suf- 
ferings of  my  dearest  Savi- 
our I  may  be  united  to  His 
Spirit,  and  be  made  all  one 
with  the  most  Holy  Jesus. 
Amen. 

0  holy  and  Eternal  Jesus, 
Who  didst  pity  mankind 
lying  in  his  blood  and  sin 
and  misery,  and  didst  choose 
our  sadnesses  and  sorrows, 
that  Thou  mightest  make 
us  to  partake  of  Thy  felici- 
ties :  let  Thine  eyes  pity 
me,  Thy  hands  support  me, 


[  Thy  Holy  feet  tread,  down 
all  the  difficulties  in  my 
way  to  Heaven  :  let  me 
dwell  in  Thy  heart,  be  in- 
structed with  Thy  wisdom, 
moved  by  Thy  affections, 
choose  with  Thy  will,  and 
be  clothed  with  Thy  right- 
eousness ;  that  in  the  day 
of  Judgment  I  may  be 
found  having  on  Thy  gar- 
ments, sealed  with  Thy  im- 
pression ;  and  that,  bearing 
upon  every  faculty  and 
member  the  character  of 
my  elder  Brother,  I  may 
not  be  cast  out  with  stran- 
gers and  unbelievers.  A  men. 
0  Holy  and  ever-blessed 
Spirit,  Who  didst  over-sha- 
dow the  holy  Virgin-Mother 
of  our  Lord,  and  caused st 
her  to  conceive  by  a  miracu- 
lous and  mysterious  man- 
ner ;  be  pleased  to  over- 
shadow my  Soul,  and  en- 
lighten my  spirit,  that  I 
may  conceive  the  Holy 
Jesus  in  my  heart,  and  may 
bear  Him  in  my  mind,  and 
may  grow  up  to  the  fulness 
of  the  stature  of  Christ,  to 
be  a  perfect  man  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Amen. 

To  God  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  *  To  the 
eternal  Son  that  teas  incar- 
nate and  horn  of  a  Virgin, 
*  To  the  Spirit  of  the  Father 


300 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


and  glory,  worship  andador- 

ation,   now   and  for   ever. 

Amen. 

U  The  sa7ne  Form  of  Prayer 
may  he  used  up>on  our 
own  Birth-day,  or  day  of 
our  Baptism  :  adding  the 
following  Prayer. 

A  Prayer  to  he  said  upon 
our  Birth-day,  or  day  of 
Baptism. 

0  blessed  and  Eternal 
God,  I  give  Thee  praise  and 
glory  for  Thy  great  mercy 
to  me,  in  causing  me  to  be 
born  of  Christian  parents, 
and  didst  not  allot  to  me  a 
portion  with  misbelievers 
and  heathen  that  have  not 
known  Thee,  Thou  didst 
not  suffer  me  to  be  stran- 
gled at  the  gate  of  the 
womb,  but  Thy  hand  sus- 
tained and  brought  me  to 
the  light  of  the  world,  and 
the  illumination  of  Baptism, 
with  Thy  grace  preventing 
my  election,  and  by  an  ar- 
tificial necessity  and  holy 
prevention  engaging  me  to 
the  profession  and  practices 
of  Christianity.  Lord,  since 
that,  I  have  broken  the 
promises  made  in  my  be- 
half, and  which  I  confirmed 
by  my  after-act ;  I  went 
back  from  them  by  an  evil 
life  :  and  yet  Thou  hast  still 
continued  to  me  life  and 
time   of   repentance ;    and 


didst  not  cut  me  off  in  the 
beginning  of  my  days,  and 
the  progress  of  my  sins. 
0  Dearest  God,  pardon  the 
errors  and  ignorances,  the 
vices  and  vanities  of  my 
youth,  and  the  faults  of  my 
more  forward  years  ;  and 
let  me  never  more  stain  the 
whiteness  of  my  Baptismal 
robe  :  and  now  that  by  Thy 
grace  I  still  persist  in  the 
purposes  of  obedience,  and 
do  give  up  my  name  to 
Christ,  and  glory  to  be  a 
disciple  of  Thy  institution, 
and  a  servant  of  Jesus,  let 
me  never  fail  of  Thy  grace  ; 
let  no  root  of  bitterness 
spring  up,  and  disorder  my 
purposes,  and  defile  my 
spirit.  0  let  my  years  be  | 
so  many  degrees  of  nearer  ^ 
approach  to  Thee  :  and  for- 
sake me  not,  0  God,  in  my 
old  age,  when  I  am  gTay- 
headed  ;  and  when  my 
strength  faileth  me,  be  Thou 
my  strength  and  my  guide 
unto  death ;  that  I  may 
reckon  my  years,  and  apply 
my  heart  unto  wisdom  ;  and 
at  last,  after  the  spending  a 
holy  and  a  blessed  life,  I 
may  be  brought  unto  a  glo- 
rious eternity,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  Anun. 

Then  add  the  form  of 
Thanksgiving  formerly  de- 
scrihed 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


301 


A  Prayer  to  he  said  upon 
the  days  of  the  memory  of 
Apostles,  Martyrs,  (^c. 

0  Eternal  God,  to  Whom 
do  live  the  spirits  of  them 
that  depart  hence  in  the 
Lord,  and  in  Whom  the 
Souls  of  them  that  be 
elected,  after  they  be  de- 
livered from  the  burden  of 
the  flesh,  be  in  peace  and 
rest  from  their  labours,  and 
their  works  follow  them,  and 
their  memory  is  blessed ;  I 
bless  and  magnify  Thy  holy 
and  ever-glorious  Name,  for 
the  great  grace  and  bles- 
sing manifested  to  Thy 
Apostles  and  Martyrs,  and 
other  holy  persons,  who 
have  glorified  Thy  Name  in 
the  days  of  their  flesh,  and 
have  served  the  interest  of 
Religion  and  of  Thy  service : 
and  this  day  we  have  Thy 
servant  {name  the  Apostle 
or  Martyr,  &:cj  in  remem- 
brance, whom  Thou  hast  led 
through  the  troubles  and 
temptations  of  this  world, 
and  now  hast  lodged  in  the 
bosom  of  a  certain  hope  and 
great  beatitude  until  the 
day  of  restitution  of  all 
things.  Blessed  be  the 
mercy  and  eternal  goodness 
of  God  ;  and  the  memory  of 
all  Thy  Saints  is  blessed. 
Teach  me  to  practise  their 
doctrinCj  to   imitate    their 


lives,  following  their  ex- 
ample, and  being  united  as 
a  part  of  the  same  mystical 
body  by  the  band  of  the 
same  faith,  and  a  holy  hope, 
and  a  never-ceasing  charity. 
And  may  it  please  Thee 
of  Thy  gracious  goodness 
shortly  to  accomplish  the 
number  of  Thine  elect,  and 
to  hasten  Thy  kingdom  ; 
that  we  with  Thy  servant 
[*]  and  all  others  departed 
in  the  true  faith  and  fear 
of  Thy  Holy  Name,  may 
have  our  perfect  consum- 
mation and  bliss  in  body 
and  Soul  in  Thy  eternal 
and  everlasting  Kingdom. 
Amen. 

A  Form  of  Prayer  record- 
ing all  the  parts  and 
mysteries  of  Chrisfs  Pas- 
sion, being  a  short  history 
of  it :  to  he  used  especially 
m  the  tveeh  of  the  Passion, 
and  hefore  the  receiving 
the  hlessed  Sacrament. 

All  praise  honour  and 
glory  be  to  the  Holy  and 
eternal  Jesus.    I  adore  Thee, 

0  blessed  Redeemer,  eternal 
God,  the  light  of  the  Gen- 
tiles and  the  glory  of  Israel; 
for  Thou  hast  done  and 
suffered  for  me  more  than 

1  could  wish,  more  than  I 
could  think  of ;  even  all 
that  a  lost  and  a  miserable 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


302 

and  perishing  sinner  could 
possibly  need. 

Thou  wert  afflicted  with 
thirst  and  hunger,  with  heat 
and  cold,  with  labours  and 
sorrows,  with  hard  journeys 
and  restless  nights  ;  and 
when  Thou  wert  contriving 
all  the  mysterious  and  ad- 
mirable ways  of  paying  our 
scores,  Thou  didst  sufier 
Thyself  to  be  designed  to 
slaughter  by  those  for  whom 
in  love  Thou  wert  ready  to 
die. 

What  is  Man  that  Thou 
art  mindful  of  him,  and  the 
Son  of  man  that  Thou  thus 
visitest  him"^  1 

Blessed  be  Thy  name, 
0  Holy  Jesus;  for  Thou 
wentest  about  doing  good, 
working  miracles  of  mercy, 
healing  the  sick,  comfort- 
ing the  distressed,  instruct- 
ing the  ignorant,  raising 
the  dead,  enlightening  the 
blind,  strengthening  the 
lame,  straightening  the 
crooked,  relieving  the  poor, 
pleaching  the  Gospel,  and 
reconciling  sinners  by  the 
mightiness  of  Thy  power, 
by  the  wisdom  of  Thy  spirit, 
by  the  Word  of  God,  and 
the  merits  of  Thy  passion, 
Thy  healthful  and  bitter 
passion. 

Lord,  what  is  Man  that 
Thou  art  mindful  of  him^&c. 

'  Ps. 


Blessed  be  Thy  name,  0 
Holy  Jestis,  Who  wert  con- 
tent to  be  conspired  against 
by  the  Jetvs,  to  be  sold  by 
Thy  servant  for  a  vile  price, 
and  to  wash  the  feet  of  him 
that  took  money  for  Thy 
life,  and  to  give  to  him  and 
to  all  Thy  Apostles  Thy 
most  Holy  Body  and  Blood, 
to  become  a  sacrifice  for 
their  sins,  even  for  their  be- 
traying and  denying  Thee ; 
and  for  all  my  sins,  even  for 
my  crucifying  Thee  afresh, 
and  for  such  sins  which  I 
am  ashamed  to  think,  but 
that  the  greatness  of  my 
sins  magnify  the  infinite - 
ness  of  Thy  mercies.  Who 
didst  so  great  things  for  so 
vile  a  person. 

Lord,  what  is  Man,  &c. 

Blessed  be  Thy  Name,  0 
Holy  desus.  Who,  being  to 
depart  the  world,  didst  com- 
fort Thy  Apostles,  pouring 
out  into  their  ears  and  hearts 
treasures  of  admirable  dis- 
courses ;  Who  didst  recom- 
mend them  to  Thy  Father 
with  a  mighty  charity,  and 
then  didst  enter  into  the 
Garden  set  with  nothing 
but  briars  and  sorrows, 
where  Thou  didst  sufier  a 
most  imspeakable  agony, 
until  the  sweat  strained 
through  Thy  pure  skin  like 
drops  of  blood,  and  there 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


303 


didst  sigh  and  groan,  and 
fall  flat  upon  the  earth,  and 
pray,  and  submit  to  the 
intolerable  burden  of  Thy 
Father's  wrath,  which  I  had 
deserved  and  Thou  suffer- 
edst. 

Lord,  u'hat  is  Man,  dx. 

Blessed  be  Thy  name,  0 
Holy  Jesus,  "Who  hast  sanc- 
tified to  us  all  our  natural 
infirmities  and  passions,  by 
vouchsafing  to  be  in  fear 
and  trembling  and  sore 
amazement,  by  being  bound 
and  imprisoned,  by  being 
harassed  and  dragged  with 
cords  of  violence  and  rude 
hands,  by  being  drenched 
in  the  brook  in  the  way,  by 
being  sought  after  like  a 
thief,  and  used  like  a  sinner, 
Who  wert  the  most  Holy 
and  the  most  innocent, 
cleaner  than  an  Angel,  and 
brighter  than  the  Morning 
Star. 

Lord,  what  is  Man,  d'C. 

Blessed  be  Thy  name,  0 
Holy  Jesus,  and  blessed  be 
Thy  loving-kindness  and 
pity,  by  which  Thou  didst 
neglect  Thy  OAvn  sorrows, 
and  go  to  comfort  the  sad- 
ness of  Thy  disciples,  quick- 
ening their  dulness,  encou- 
raging their  duty,  arming 
their  weakness  Avith  excel- 
lent precepts  against  the 
day  of  trial.  Blessed  be 
that  humility  and  sorrow  of 


Thine,  Who,  being  Lord  of 
the  Angels,  yet  wouldest 
need  and  receive  comfort 
from  Thy  servant  the  Angel; 
Who  didst  ofier  Thyself  to 
Thy  persecutors,  and  madest 
them  able  to  seize  Thee  ; 
and  didst  receive  the  trai- 
tor's kiss,  and  suflTeredst  a 
veil  to  be  thrown  over  Thy 
Holy  face,  that  Thy  ene- 
mies might  not  presently 
be  confounded  by  so  bright 
a  lustre  ;  and  wouldst  do  a 
miracle  to  cure  a  wound  of 
one  of  Thy  spiteful  enemies ; 
and  didst  reprove  a  zealous 
servant  in  behalf  of  a  mali- 
cious adversary  ;  and  then 
didst  go  like  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter,  without  noise  or 
violence  or  resistance,  when 
Thou  couldst  have  com- 
manded millions  of  Angels 
for  Thy  guard  and  rescue. 

Lord,  what  is  Jfan,  d:c. 

Blessed  be  Thy  name,  0 
holy  Jesus,  and  blessed  be 
that  holy  sorrow  Thou  didst 
suffer,  when  Thy  disciples 
fled,  and  Thou  wert  left 
alone  in  the  hands  of  cruel 
men,  who  like  evening- 
Avolves  thirsted  for  a  draught 
of  Thy  best  blood;  and  Thou 
wert  led  to  the  house  of 
Annas,  and  there  asked 
ensnaring  questions,  and 
smitten  on  the  face  by  him 
whose  ear  Thou  hadst  but 
lately    healed  ;    and    from 


304 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


thence  wert  dragged  to  the 
house  of  Caiaphas,  and 
there  all  night  didst  en- 
dure spittings,  affronts, 
scorn,  contumelies,  blows, 
and  intolerable  insolencies ; 
and  all  this  for  Man,  who 
was  Thy  enemy  and  the 
cause  of  all  Thy  sorrows. 

Lord,  tohat  is  Man,  &c. 

Blessed  be  Thy  name,  0 
Holy  Jesus,  and  blessed  be 
Thy  mercy,  Who,  when  Thy 
servant  Peter  denied  Thee 
and  forsook  Thee,  and  for- 
swore Thee,  didst  look  back 
upon  him,  and  by  that 
gracious  and  chiding  look 
didst  call  him  back  to  him- 
self and  Thee  ;  who  wert 
accused  before  the  High 
Priest,  and  railed  upon,  and 
examined  to  evil  purposes, 
and  with  designs  of  blood  ; 
Who  wert  declared  guilty 
of  death  for  speaking  a  most 
necessary  and  most  probable 
truth  ;  Who  wert  sent  to 
Pilate  and  found  innocent, 
and  sent  to  Herod  and  still 
found  innocent,  and  wert 
arrayed  in  white,  both  to 
declare  Thy  innocence,  and 
yet  to  deride  Thy  person  ; 
and  wert  sent  back  to  Pilate 
and  examined  again,  and 
yet  nothing  but  innocence 
found  in  Thee,  and  malice 
round  about  Thee  to  devour 
Thy  life,  which  yet  Thou 
wert  more  desixous  to  lay 


down  for  them  than  they 
were  to  take  it  from  Thee. 

Lord,  what  is  Man,  d'c. 

Blessed  be  Thy  name,  0 
Holy  Jesus,  and  blessed  be 
that  patience  and  charity, 
by  which  for  our  sakes  Thou 
wert  content  to  be  smitten 
with  canes,  and  have  that 
Holy  face,  which  Angels 
with  joy  and  wonder  do 
behold,  be  spit  upon  and 
be  despised,  when  compared 
with.  Parabbas,  and  scourged 
most  rudely  with  unhal- 
lowed hands,  tiU  the  pave- 
ment was  pm'pled  with  that 
Holy  blood,  and  condemned 
to  a  sad  and  shameful,  a 
public  and  painful  death, 
and  arrayed  in  scarlet,  and 
crowned  with  thorns,  and 
stripped  naked,  and  then 
clothed,  and  loaden  with 
the  Cross,  and  tormented 
with  a  tablet  stuck  with 
nails  at  the  fringes  of  Thy 
garment,  and  bound  hard 
with  cords,  and  dragged 
most  vilely  and  most  pite- 
ously  till  the  load  was  too 
great,  and  did  sink  Thy 
tender  and  virginal  body  to 
the  earth  ;  and  yet  didst 
comfort  the  weeping  women, 
and  didst  more  pity  Thy 
persecutors  than  Thyself, 
and  wert  grieved  for  the 
miseries  of  Jerusalem  to 
come  forty  years  after,  more 
than  for  Thy  present  Passion. 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


305 


Lord,  what  is  man,  d-c. 

Blessed  be  Thy  Name,  0 
Holy  Jesus,  and  blessed  be 
that  incomparable  sweet- 
ness and  holy  sorrow  which 
Thou  sufferedst,  when  Thy 
holy  hands  and  feet  were 
nailed  upon  the  Cross,  and 
the  Cross  being  set  in  the 
hollowness  of  the  earth  did 
in  the  fall  rend  the  wounds 
wider,  and  there  naked  and 
bleeding,  sick  and  faint, 
wounded  and  despised,  didst 
hang  upon  the  Aveight  of 
Thy  wounds  three  long 
hours,  praying  for  Thy  per- 
secutors, satisfying  Thy  Fa- 
ther's wrath,  reconciling  the 
penitent  thief,  providing  for 
Thy  holy  and  afflicted  mo- 
ther, tasting  vinegar  and 
gall ;  and  when  the  fulness 
of  Thy  suffering  was  ac- 
complished, didst  give  Thy 
Soul  into  the  hands  of  God, 
and  didst  descend  to  the 
regions  of  longing  souls, 
who  waited  for  the  revela- 
tion of  this  Thy  day  in  their 
prisons  of  hope  :  and  then 
Thy  body  was  transfixed 
with  a  spear,  and  issued 
forth  two  Sacraments,  Water 
and  Blood ;  and  Thy  body 
was  composed  to  burial,  and 
dwelt  in  darkness  three 
days  and  three  nights. 

Lord,  what  is  man,  that 
Thou  art  mindful  of  him; 


and  tJie  son  of  man,  that 
Thou  visitest  him  ? 

The  Prayer. 

Thus,  0  blessed  Jesu,^\xo\Ji 
didst  finish  Thy  Holy  Pas- 
sion with  pain  and  anguish 
so  great,  that  nothing  could 
be  greater  than  it,  except 
Thyself  and  Thy  OAvn  infi- 
nite mercy  ;  and  all  this  for 
man,  even  for  me,  than 
whom  nothing  could  be 
more  miserable,  Thyself 
only  excepted,  who  becam- 
est  so  by  undertaking  our 
guilt  and  our  punishment. 
And  now,  Lord,  Who  hast 
done  so  much  for  me,  be 
pleased  only  to  make  it  ef- 
fectual to  me,  that  it  may 
not  be  useless  and  lost  as 
to  my  particular,  lest  I  be- 
come eternally  miserable, 
and  lost  to  all  hopes  and 
possibilities  of  comfort.  All 
this  deserves  more  love 
than  I  have  to  give  :  but, 
Lord,  do  Thou  turn  me  all 
into  love,  and  all  my  love 
into  obedience,  and  let  my 
obedience  be  without  inter- 
ruption, and  then  I  hope 
Thou  wilt  accept  such  a 
return  as  I  can  make.  Make 
me  to  be  something  that 
Thou  delightest  in,  and 
Thou  shalt  have  all  that  I 
am  or  have  from  Thee,  even 
whatsoever  Thou  makest  fit 
for  Thyself.     Teach  me  to 


306 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


live  wholly  for  my  Saviour 
Jesus,  and  to  be  ready  to 
die  for  Jesus,  and  to  be 
conformable  to  His  life  and 
sufferings,  and  to  be  unit- 
ed to  Him  by  inseparable 
unions,  and  to  own  no  pas- 
sions but  what  may  be  ser- 
vants to  Jesus  and  Disci- 
ples of  His  institution.  0 
sweetest  Saviour,  clothe  my 
soul  with  Thy  holy  robe  ; 
hide  my  sins  in  Thy  wounds, 
and  bury  them  in  Thy 
grave ;  and  let  me  rise  in 
the  life  of  grace,  and  abide 
and  grow  in  it,  till  I  arrive 
at  the  Kingdom  of  Glory. 
Amen. 

Our  Father,  ^-c. 

Ad  Sect.  7,  8, 10. 

A  form  of  Prayer  or  Inter- 
cession for  all  estates  of  peo- 
ple  in  the  Christian  Church. 
The  pa7'ts  of  which  may  he 
•added  to  any  other  forms : 
and  the  whole  office,  entirely 
as  it  lies,  is  proper  to  he  said 
in  our  jpreparaiion  to  the 
Holy  Sacrament,  or  on  the 
day  of  celehration. 

I.  For  ourselves. 

0  Thou  gracious  Father 
of  mercy,  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  have 
mercy  upon  Thy  servants 
who  bow  our  heads,  and  our 
knees,   and   our   hearts   to 


Thee  :  pardon  and  forgive 
us  all  our  sins  :  give  us  the 
grace  of  holy  Repentance, 
and  a  strict  obedience  to 
Thy  Holy  Word :  strengthen 
us  in  the  inner  man  Avith 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
for  all  the  parts  and  duties 
of  our  calling  and  holy  liv- 
ing :  preserve  us  for  ever 
in  the  unity  of  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church,  and  in  the 
integrity  of  the  Christian  J 
faith,  and  in  the  love  of  ^ 
God  and  of  our  neighbours, 
and  in  hope  of  life  eternal. 
A  men. 

2.  For  the  whole  Catholic 
Church. 
0  holy  Jesus,  King  of  the 
Saints,  and  Prince  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  preserve 
Thy  Spouse  whom  Thou  hast 
purchased  with  Thy  right 
hand,  and  redeemed  and 
cleansed  with  Thy  blood ; 
the  whole  Catholic  Church 
from  one  end  of  the  earth 
to  the  other ;  she  is  founded 
upon  a  rock,  but  planted  in 
the  sea.  0  preserve  her 
safe  from  schism,  heresy, 
and  sacrilege.  Unite  all 
I  her  members  with  the  bands 
of  Faith,  Hope,  and  Cha- 
rity, and  an  external  com- 
munion, when  it  shall  seem 
good  in  Thine  eyes.  Let  the 
daily  sacrifice  of  prayer  and 
Sacramental    thanksgiving 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS, 


307 


never  cease,  but  be  for  ever 
presented  to  Thee,  and  for 
ever  united  to  the  interces- 
sion of  her  dearest  Lord, 
and  for  ever  prevail  for  the 
obtaining  for  every  of  its 
members  grace  and  bless- 
ing, pardon  and  salvation, 
A  nun. 

3,  For  all  Christian  Kings, 
Princes,  and  Governors. 

0    King   of    kings,   and 
Prince  of  all  the  rulers  of 
the  earth,  give  Thy  grace 
and  Spirit  to  all  Christian 
Princes,  the   spirit  of  wis- 
dom and  counsel,  the  spirit 
of  government   and   godly 
fear.     Grant  unto  them  to 
live  in  peace  and  honour,  ' 
that  their  people  may  love  I 
and   fear   them,   and   they  I 
may    love    and    fear   God 
Speak     good     unto     their  ' 
hearts       concerning       the  ! 
Church,  that  they  may  be  ' 
nursing-fathers    to    it,   fa-  i 
thers     to     the     fatherless,  | 
judges  and  avengers  of  the 
cause  of  widows  ;  that  they 
may   be    compassionate   to 
the  wants  of  the  poor,  and 
the  groans  of  the  oppress- 
ed ;  that  they  may  not  vex 
or   kill   the   Lord's    people 
with    unjust   or   ambitious 
wars,  but  may  feed  the  flock 
of  God,  and   may  enquire 
after    and    do    all    things 
which  may  promote  peace, 


public  honesty,  and  holy 
Eeligion ;  so  administering 
things  present,  that  they 
may  not  fail  of  the  ever- 
lasting glories  of  the  world 
to  come  where  all  Thy 
faithful  people  shall  reign 
kings  for  ever.    Amen. 

4.  For  all  the  orders  of 
them  that  minister  about 
Holy  things. 

0  Thou  great  Shepherd 
and  Bishop  of  our  souls. 
Holy  and  Eternal  Jesus, 
give  unto  Thy  servants  the 
Ministers  of  the  Mysteries 
of  Christian  Religion,  the 
Spirit  of  prudence  and 
sanctity,  faith  and  charity, 
confidence  and  zeal,  dili- 
gence and  watchfulness  ; 
that  they  may  declare  Thy 
will  unto  the  people  faith- 
fully, and  dispense  Thy 
Sacraments  rightly,  and  in- 
tercede with  Thee  gracious- 
ly and  acceptably  for  Thy 
servants.  Grant,  0  Lord, 
that  by  a  holy  life  and  a 
true  belief,  by  well  doing 
and  patient  suffering  (when 
Thou  shalt  call  them  to  it) 
they  may  glorify  Thee  the 
great  lover  of  souls,  and, 
after  a  plentiful  conversion 
of  sinners  from  the  error  of 
their  ways,  they  may  shine 
like  the  stars  in  glory,  A- 
men. 

Give  unto  Thy  servants 


308 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


the  Bishops  a  discerning 
spirit ;  that  they  may  lay 
hands  suddenly  on  no  man, 
but  may  depute  such  per- 
sons to  the  ministries  of 
Religion  who  may  adorn 
the  Gospel  of  God,  and 
whose  lips  may  preserve 
knowledge,  and  such  who 
by  their  good  preaching  and 
holy  living  may  advance 
the  service  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus.   Amen. 

5.  For  our  nearest  relatives^ 
as  Husband,  Wife,  Chil- 
dren, Family,  <kc. 

0  God  of  infinite  mercy, 
let  Thy  loving  mercy  and 
compassion  descend  upon 
the  head  of  Thy  servants 
\_riiy  loife,  or  husband,  chil- 
dren and  family  /J  be  pleas- 
ed to  give  them  health  of 
body  and  of  spirit,  a  com- 
petent portion  of  temporals, 
so  as  may  with  comfort 
support  them  in  their  jour- 
ney to  Heaven;  preserve 
them  from  all  evil  and  sad 
accidents,  defend  them  in 
all  assaults  of  their  enemies, 
direct  their  persons  and 
their  actions,  sanctify  their 
hearts  and  words  and  pur- 
poses ;  that  we  all  may  by 
the  bands  of  obedience  and 
charity  be  united  to  our 
Lord  Jesus,  and,  always 
feeling  Thee  our  merciful 
and   gracious  Father,  may 


become  a  holy  family,  dis- 
charging our  whole  duty  in 
all  our  relations;  that  we 
in  this  life  being  Thy  chil- 
dren by  adoption  and  gTace, 
may  be  admitted  into  Thy 
holy  family  hereafter,  for 
ever  to  sing  praises  to  Thee 
in  the  Church  of  the  first- 
born, in  the  family  of  Thy 
redeemed  ones.    Amen. 

6.  For  our  Parents,  our 
Kindred  in  the  flesh,  our 
Friends  and  Benefactors. 

0  God  merciful  and  gra- 
cious. Who  hast  made  \_my 
Parents,']  my  friends  and 
my  benefactors  ministers  of 
Thy  mercy  and  instruments 
of  Providence  to  Thy  ser- 
vant, I  humbly  beg  a  bless- 
ing to  descend  upon  the 
heads  of  [_na7ne  the  persons, 
or  the  relatio7is.']  Depute 
Thy  holy  Angels  to  guard 
their  persons.  Thy  Holy 
Spirit  to  guide  their  souls, 
Thy  Providence  to  minister 
to  their  necessities  :  and  let 
Thy  grace  and  mercy  pre- 
serve them  from  the  bitter 
pains  of  eternal  death,  and 
bring  them  to  everlasting 
life,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
Anoen. 

7.  For  cdl  that  lie  under  the 
rod  of  War,  Famine,  Pes- 
tilence:    to    be    said  in 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


509 


the   time    of  Plagiie,   or  j 
war,  (i'C.  j 

0    Lord    God   Almighty,  ' 
Thou   art   our   Father,  we  ' 
are    Thy    children :     Thou  I 
art  our  Redeemer,  we  Thy  j 
people  purchased  with  the  t 
price  of  Thy  most  precious  I 
blood :    be   pleased  to   mo-  I 
derate  Thy  anger  towards  ' 
Thy  servants ;  let  not  Thy  ' 
whole  displeasure  arise,  lest 
we  be  consumed  and  brought 
to  nothing.   Let  health  and 
peace  be  within  our  dwell-  ; 
ings,  let  righteousness  and  ' 
holiness  dwell  for  ever  in 
our  hearts,  and  be  expressed  ' 
in  all  our  actions,  and  the 
light   of  Thy   countenance 
be  upon  us  in  all  our  suf- 
ferings, that  we  may  delight 
in  the   service  and  in  the 
mercies    of  God   for   ever. 
Amen. 

0   gracious    Father   and 
merciful  God,  if  it  be  Thy 
will,  say  unto  the  destroy-  j 
ing   Angel,  It   is   enough: 
and    though    we    are    not  ; 
better   than    our    brethren  | 
who  are   smitten  with  the 
rod  of  God,  but  much  worse, 
yet  may  it  please  Thee,  even 
because  Thou  art  good,  and 
because    we    are    timorous 
and    sinful,  not  yet   fitted 
for  our  appearance,  to  set  \ 
Thy  mark  upon   our  fore-  i 


heads,  that  Thy  Angel  the 
Minister  of  Thy  Justice 
may  pass  over  us  and  hurt 
us  not :  let  Thy  hand  cover 
Thy  servants,  and  hide  us 
in  the  clefts  of  the  rock^,  in 
the  wounds  of  the  Holy 
Jesus,  from  the  present  an- 
ger that  is  gone  out  against 
us ;  that  though  v/e  walk 
through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  we  may 
fear  no  evil,  and  sufier 
none:  and  those  whom  Thou 
hast  smitten  with  Thy  rod, 
support  with  Thy  staff,  and 
visit  them  with  Thy  mer- 
cies and  salvation,  through 
Jesus  Christ.    Amen. 

8.  For  all  Women  withChild, 
and  for  unborn  Children. 

0  Lord  God,  who  art  the 
Father  of  them  that  trust 
in  Thee,  and  shewest  mercy 
to  a  thousand  generations 
of  them  that  fear  Thee; 
have  mercy  upon  all  women 
gTeat  with  child,  [*]  be 
pleased  to  give  them  a  joy- 
fid  and  a  safe  deliverance : 
and  let  Thy  grace  preserve 
the  fruit  of  their  wombs, 
and  conduct  them  to  the 
holy  Sacrament  of  Baptism ; 
that  they,  being  regenerated 
by  Thy  Spirit,  and  adopted 
into  Thy  family  and  the 
portion  and  duty  of  Sons, 
may  live   to   the   glory  of 


Isai.  ii.  21;   1  Cor.  x.  4. 


310 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIOI^S. 


God,  to  the  comfort  of  their 
parents  and  friends,  to  the 
edification  of  the  Christian 
commonwealth,  and  the  sal- 
vation of  their  own  'souls, 
through  Jesus  Christ.  A- 
men. 

9.  For  all  estates  of  Men 
and  'Women  in  the  Chris- 
tian Church. 

0  Holy  God,  King  Eter- 
nal, out  of  the  infinite 
store-houses  of  Thy  grace 
and  mercy  give  unto  all 
virgins  chastity,  and  a  re- 
ligious spirit ;  to  all  persons 
dedicated  to  Thee  and  to 
Religion,  continence  and 
meekness,  an  active  zeal  and 
an  unwearied  spirit  ;  to  all 
married  pairs,  faith  and 
holiness  ;  to  widows  and 
fatherless,  and  all  that  are 
oppressed.  Thy  patronage, 
comfort,  and  defence  ;  to  all 
Christian  women,  simplicity 
and  modesty,  humility,  chas- 
tity, patience  and  charity  : 
give  unto  the  poor,  to  all 
that  are  robbed  and  spoiled 
of  their  goods,  a  competent 
support,  and  a  contented 
spirit,  and  a  treasure  in 
Heaven  hereafter :  give  unto 
prisoners  and  captives,  to 
them  that  toil  in  the  mines, 
and  row  in  the  galleys, 
strength  of  body  and  of 
spirit,  liberty  and  redemp- 
tion,  comfort   and   restitu- 


tion :  to  all  that  travel  by 
land.  Thy  Angel  for  their 
guide,  and  a  holy  and  pros- 
perous return  :  to  all  that 
travel  by  sea,  freedom  from 
pirates  and  shipwreck,  and 
bring  them  to  the  haven 
where  they  would  be  :  to 
distressed  and  scrupulous 
consciences,  to  melancholy 
and  disconsolate  persons,  to 
all  that  are  afflicted  with 
evil  and  unclean  spirits, 
give  a  light  from  Heaven, 
great  grace  and  proportion- 
able comforts,  and  timely 
deliverance  ;  give  them  pa- 
tie  Gce  and  resignation  ;  let 
their  sorrows  be  changed 
into  grace  and  comfort,  and 
let  the  storm  waft  them 
certainly  to  the  regions  of 
rest  and  glory. 

Lord  God  of  mercy,  give 
to  Thy  JMartyrs,  Confessors, 
and  all  Thy  persecuted,  con- 
stancy and  prudence,  bold- 
ness and  hope,  a  full  faith 
and  a  never-failing  charity. 
To  all  who  are  condemned 
to  death  do  Thou  minister 
comfort,  a  strong,  a  quiet 
and  a  resigned  spirit :  take 
from  them  the  fear  of  death, 
and  all  remaining  aflections 
to  sin,  and  all  imperfections 
of  duty,  and  cause  them  to 
die  full  of  grace,  full  of 
hope.  A  nd  give  to  all  faith- 
ful, and  particularly  to  them 
who     have     recommended 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


311 


themselves  to  the  prayers  of  j 
Thy  unworthy  servant,  a  [ 
supply  of  all  their  needs 
temporal  and  spiritual,  and 
according  to  their  several 
states  and  necessities,  rest 
and  peace,  pardon  and  re- 
freshment :  and  shew  us  all 
a  mercy  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment.    Amen. 

Give  0  Lord,  to  the  ma- 
gistrates equity,  sincerity, 
courage,  and  prudence,  that 
they  may  protect  the  good, 
defend  Religion,  and  punish 
the  wrong  doers.  Give  to 
the  nobility  wisdom,  valour, 
and  loyalty  :  to  merchants, 
justice  and  faithfulness  :  to 
all  artificers  and  labourers, 
truth  and  honesty  :  to  our 
enemies,  forgiveness  and 
brotherly  kindness. 

Preserve  to  us  the  hea- 
vens and  the  air  in  health- 
ful influence  and  dispo- 
sition, the  earth  in  plenty, 
the  kingdom  in  peace  and 
good  government,  our  mar- 
riages in  peace  and  sweet- 
ness and  innocence  of  so- 
ciety. Thy  people  from 
famine  and  pestilence,  our 
houses  from  burning  and 
robbery,  our  persons  from 
being  W'nt  alive  :  from 
banishment  and  prison,  from 
widowhood  and  destitution, 
from  violence  of  pains  and 
passion,  from  tempests  and 
earthquakes,     from      inun- 


dation of  waters,  from  re- 
bellion or  invasion,  from 
impatience  and  inordinate 
cares,  from  tediousness  of 
spirit  and  despair,  from 
murder,  and  all  violent,  ac- 
cursed, and  unusual  deaths, 
from  the  surprise  of  sudden 
and  violent  accidents,  from 
passionate  and  unreasonable 
fears,  from  all  Thy  wrath, 
and  from  all  our  sins,  good 
Lord,  deliver  and  preserve 
Thy  servants  for  ever. 
Amen. 

Repress  the  violence  of 
all  implacable,  warring,  and 
tyrant  nations  :  bring  home 
unto  Thy  fold  all  that  are 
gone  astray  :  call  into  the 
Church  all  strangers :  in- 
crease the  number  and  holi- 
ness of  Thine  own  people  ; 
bring  infants  to  ripeness  of 
age  and  reason  :  confirm  all 
baptized  people  with  Thy 
grace  and  with  Thy  Spirit : 
instruct  the  novices  and 
new  Christians  :  let  a  great 
grace  and  merciful  provi- 
dence bring  youthful  per- 
sons safely  and  holily 
through  the  indiscretions 
and  passions  and  tempta- 
tions of  their  youngeryears ; 
and  to  those  whom  Thou 
hast  or  shalt  permit  to  live 
to  the  age  of  a  man,  give 
competent  strength  and 
wisdom ;  take  from  them 
covetousness  and  churlish- 


312 


PRAYEES  FOE  SEVEEAL  OCCASIONS. 


ness,  pride  and  impatience  ; 
fill  them  full  of  devotion 
and  charity,  repentance  and 
sobriety,  holy  thoughts  and 
longing  desires  after  Hea- 
ven and  Heavenly  things  ; 
give  them  a  holy  and  a 
blessed  death,  and  to  us  all  a 
joyful  resurrection  through 
Jesu^  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

Ad  Sect.  10. 

The  'manner  of  using  these 
devotions  by  way  of  'pre- 
jmration  to  the  receiving 
the  blessed  Sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper. 

The  just  preparation  to 
this  Holy  Feast  consisting 
principally  in  a  holy  life, 
and  consequently  in  the  re- 
petition of  the  acts  of  all 
virti(£s,  and  especially  of 
Faith,  Repentance,  Charity 
and  Thanksgiving ;  to  the 
exercise  of  these  four  graces, 
let  the  person  that  intends  to 
communicate,  in  tlie  times 
set  apa.rtfor  his  preparation 
mid  devotion,  for  the  exer- 
cise of  his  faith  recite  the 
prayer  or  Litany  of  the 
Passion;  for  the  exercise  of 
Repentance,  the  form  of  co>i- 
fession  of  sins  with  the 
prayer  annexed ;  and  for 
the  graces  of  Thanksgiving 
and  Charity,  let  him  use  the 
special    forms    of    prayer 


above  described.  Or,  if  a  less 
time  can  be  allotted  for  pre- 
paratory devotion,  the  tico 
first  will  be  the  more  proper, 
as  containing  in  them  all 
the  personal  duty  of  the 
communicant.  To  which, 
upon  the  morning  of  that 
Holy  solemnity,  let  him  add 

A  Prayer  of  preparation  or 
address  to  the  holy  Sacra- 
ment. 

An  act  of  Love. 

0  most  gracious  and 
eternal  God,  the  helper  of 
the  helpless,  the  comforter 
of  the  comfortless,  the  hope 
of  the  afflicted,  the  bread  of 
the  hungry,  the  drink  of 
the  thirsty,  and  the  Saviour 
of  all  them  that  wait  upon 
Thee  ;  I  bless  and  glorify 
Thy  Name,  and  adore  Thy 
goodness,  and  delight  in  Thy 
love,  that  Thou  hast  once 
more  given  me  the  oppor- 
tunity of  receiving  the 
greatest  favour  which  I  can 
receive  in  this  world,  even 
the  Body  and  Blood  of  my 
dearest  Saviour.  0  take 
from  me  all  affection  to  sin 
or  vanity :  let  not  my  affec- 
tions dwell  below,  but  soar 
upwards  to  the  element  of 
love,  to  the  seat  of  God,  to 
the  regions  of  glory,  and 
the  inheritance  of  Jesus; 
that  I  may  hunger  and  thirst 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


313 


for  the  bread  of  life,  and  the 
wine  of  elect  souls,  and  may- 
show  no  loves  but  the  love 
of  God,  and  the  most  merci- 
ful Jesu^.  Allien. 

An  act  of  Desire. 

0  blessed  Jesus,  Thou 
hast  used  many  arts  to  save 
me,  Thou  hast  given  Thy 
life  to  redeem  me,  Thy  holy 
Spirit  to  sanctify  me,  Thy- 
self for  my  example,  Thy 
Word  for  my  rule,  Thy 
grace  for  my  guide,  the 
fruit  of  Thy  body  hanging 
on  the  tree  of  the  cross  for 
the  sin  of  my  soul  ;  and 
after  all  this  Thou  hast 
sent  Thy  Apostles  and  Mi- 
nisters of  salvation  to  call 
me,  to  importune  me,  to 
constrain  me  to  holiness 
and  peace  and  felicity.  0 
now  come,  Lord  Jesus,  come 
quickly:  my  heart  is  desi- 
rous of  Thy  presence,  and 
thirsty  of  Thy  grace,  and 
would  fain  entertain  Thee, 
not  as  a  guest,  but  as  an 
inhabitant,  as  the  Lord  of 
all  my  faculties.  Enter  in 
and  take  possession,  and 
dwell  with  me  for  ever ; 
that  I  also  may  dwell  in 
the  heart  of  my  dearest 
Lord,  which  was  opened  for 
me  with  a  spear  and  love. 

An  act  of  Contrition. 

Lord,  Thou  shalt  find 
my  heart  full  of  cares  and 
worldly     desii'es,     cheated 


with  love  of  riches,  and  neg- 
lect of  holy  things,  proud 
and  unmortiiied,  false  and 
crafty  to  deceive  itself,  in- 
tricated  and  entangled  with 
difficult  cases  of  conscience, 
with  knots  which  my  own 
wildness  and  inconsidera- 
tion  and  impatience  have 
tied  and  shuffled  together. 
0  my  dearest  Lord,  if  Thou 
canst  behold  such  an  im- 
pure seat,  behold  the  place 
to  which  Thou  art  invited 
is  full  of  passion  and  pre- 
judice, evil  principles  and 
evil  habits,  peevish  and  dis- 
obedient, lustful  and  in- 
temperate, and  full  of  sad 
remembrances  that  I  have 
often  provoked  to  jealousy 
and  to  anger  Thee,  my  God, 
my  dearest  Saviour,  Him 
that  died  for  me,  Him  that 
suflfered  torments  for  me, 
that  is  infinitely  good  to 
me,  and  infinitely  good  and 
perfect  in  Himself.  This, 
0  dearest  Saviour,  is  a  sad 
truth,  and  I  am  heartily 
ashamed,  and  truly  sorrow- 
ful for  it,  and  do  deeply 
hate  all  my  sins,  and  am 
full  of  indignation  against 
myself  for  so  unworthy,  so 
careless,  so  continued,  so 
great  a  folly  :  and  humbly 
beg  of  Thee  to  increase  my 
sorrow,  and  my  care,  and 
my  hatred  against  sin  ;  and 
make  my  love  to  Thee  swell 
up  to  a  great  grace,  and  then 
to  glory  and  immensity. 


314 


PRATERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


An  act  of  Faith. 


This  indeed  is  my  condi- 
tion :  But  I  know,  0  blessed 
Jesus,  that  Thou  didst  take 
upon  Thee  my  nature  that 
Thou  mightest  suffer  for  my 
sins,  and  Thou  didst  suffer 
to  deliver  me  from  them  and 
from  Thy  Father's  wrath  : 
and  I  was  delivered  from 
this  wrath  that  I  might 
serve  Thee  in  holiness  and 
righteousness  all  my  days. 
Lord,  I  am  as  sure  Thou 
didst  the  great  work  of  Re- 
demption for  me  and  all 
mankind,  as  that  I  am  alive. 
This  is  my  hope,  the  strength 
of  my  spirit,  my  joy  and  my 
confidence  :  and  do  Thou 
never  let  the  spirit  of  un- 
belief enter  into  me  and 
take  me  from  this  Rock. 
Here  I  will  dwell,  for  I  have 
a  delight  therein  :  Here  I 
will  live,  and  here  I  desire 
to  die. 

The  Petition. 

Therefore,  0  blessed  Jesu, 
Who  art  my  Saviour  and 
my  God,  Whose  body  is  my 
food,  and  Thy  righteousness 
is  my  robe,  Thou  art  the 
Priest  and  the  Sacrifice,  the 
master  of  the  feast  and  the 
feast  itself,  the  Physician  of 
my  soul,  the  light  of  mine 
eyes,  the  purifier  of  my 
tains  :  enter  into  mv  heart 


and  cast  out  from  thence  all 
impurities,  all  the  remains 
of  the  Old  man  ;  and  grant 
I  may  partake  of  this  Holy 
Sacrament  with  much  reve- 
rence, and  holy  relish,  and 
great  effect,  receiving  hence 
the  communication  of  Thy 
Holy  Body  and  Blood,  for 
the  establishment  of  an  un- 
reprovable  Faith,  of  an  un- 
feigned Love,  for  the  fulness 
of  wisdom,  for  the  healing 
my  soul,  for  the  blessing 
and  preservation  of  my  body, 
for  the  taking  out  the  sting 
of  temporal  death,  and  for 
the  assurance  of  a  holy  Re- 
surrection, for  the  ejection 
of  all  evil  from  within  me, 
and  the  fulfilling  all  Thy 
righteous  Commandments, 
and  to  procure  for  me  a 
mercy  and  a  fair  reception 
at  the  day  of  Judgment, 
through  Thy  mercies,  0 
holy  and  ever-blessed  Sa- 
viour Jesus.    Anien. 

Here  also  may  he  added 
the  Prayer  after  receiving 
the  Cup. 

Ejaculations  to  be  said  be- 
fore or  at  the  receiving 
the  Holy  Sacrament. 

Like  as  the  hart  desireth 
the  water-brooks  :  so  longeth 
my  soul  after  Thee,  0  God. 
My  soul  is  athirst  for  God, 
yea  even  for  the  living  God : 


PRATERS  rOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


315 


vjJien  shall  I  come  before  the 
liresence  of  God '  ? 

0  Lord  ray  God,  great  are 
TJiy  wondrous  works  tohich 
Tliou  hast  done,  like  as  he 
also  Thy  thoughts  which  are 
to  US-ward  :  and  yet  there  is 
no  nian  that  ordereth  them 
unto  Thee^. 

0  send  out  Thy  light  and 
Thy  truth,  that  they  tnay 
lead  me,  and  bring  me  unto 
Thy  holy  hill  and  to  Thy 
dwelling  ;  and  that  I  may 
go  unto  the  altar  of  God, 
even  unto  the  God  of  my  joy 
atul  gladness  :  and  with  my 
heart  will  I  give  thanks  to 
Thee,  0  God  my  God"^. 

I  will  wash  my  hands  in 
innocency,  0  Lord  ;  and  so 
will  I  go  to  Thine  altar  : 
that  I  may  shew  the  voice  of 
thanksgiving,  and  tell  of  all 
Thy  wondrous  ivorks. 

Examine  me,  0  Lord,  and 
'prove  me ^  try  Thou  my  reins 
and  my  heart.  For  Thy 
loving-kindness  is  now  and 
ever  before  my  eyes  :  and  I 
will  walk  in  Thy  truth  y. 

Thou  shalt  prepare  a  table 
before  me  against  them  that 
trouble  me  :  Thou  hast 
anointed  my  head  with  oil, 
and  my  cup  shall  be  full. 
But    Thy    loving-kindness 


a7id  mercy  shall  follow  Trie 
all  the  days  of  my  life,  and 
I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord  for  ever^. 

This  is  the  bread  that 
Cometh  down  from  Heaven, 
that  a  man  may  eat  thereof 
and  not  die  a. 

Whoso  eateth  My  flesh  and 
drinketh  My  blood,  dwelleth 
in  Me  and  I  in  him;  and 
hath  eternal  life  abiding  in 
him  ;  and  I  will  raise  him 
up  at  the  last  day^. 

Lord,  whither  shall  %oe  go 
but  to  Thee  ?  Thou  hast  the 
words  of  eternal  life''. 

If  any  man  thirst  let  him 
come  unto  Me  and  drink'\ 

The  bread  tvhich  we  break, 
is  it  not  the  communication 
of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  and 
the  cup  which  we  drink,  is 
it  not  the  communication 
of  the  blood  of  Christ^. 

What  are  those  wounds  in 
Thy  hands  ?  They  are  those 
ivith  which  I  was  tvounded 
in  the  house  of  my  friends^. 

Immediately  before  the 
receiving,  say, 

Lord,  I  am  not  worthy 
that  Thou  shoiddst  enter  un- 
der my  roof.  But  do  Thou 
speak  the  word  only,  and 
Thy  servant  shall  be  healed  ^. 

Lord,  open  thou  my  lips, 


t  Ps.  xlii.  1,2. 
J  Ps.  xxvi.  6,  7,  2,  3. 
b  John  vi.    54,  56. 
e  1  Cor.  X.  16. 


«  Ps.  xl.  5. 
2  Ps.  xxiii.  5,  ( 
<=  John  vi.  68. 
^  Zech.  xiii.  6. 


X  Ps.  xliii.  3,  4. 
a  John  vi.  50. 
d  John  vii.  37. 
B  Matth.  yiii.  8. 


316 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


and  my  mouth  shall  shew 
Thy  praise.  0  God,  make 
speed  to  save  me  :  0  Lord, 
make  haste  to  help  me. 

Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come 
quickli/  h. 

After  receiving  the  consecrat- 
ed and  blessed  Bread,  say, 
0  taste  and  see  how  gra- 
cious the  Lord  is  :  blessed  is 
the  man  that  trusteth  in 
Him.  *The  beasts  do  lack 
and  suffer  hunger  ;  but  they 
which  seek  the  Lord  shall 
want  no  manner  of  thing 
that  is  goodi.  Lord,  what 
am  I,  that  my  Saviour 
should  become  my  food, 
that  the  Son  of  God  should 
be  the  meat  of  worms,  of 
dust  and  ashes,  of  a  sinner, 
of  him  that  was  His  enemy  ? 
But  this  Thou  hast  done  to 
me,  because  Thou  art  in- 
finitely good  and  wonder- 
fully gTacious,  and  lovest  to 
bless  every  one  of  us,  in 
turning  us  from  the  evil  of 
our  ways.  Enter  into  me, 
blessed  Jesus;  let  no  root 
of  bitterness''  spring  up  in 
my  heart ;  but  be  I'hou 
Lord  of  all  my  faculties.  0 
let  me  feed  on  Thee  by 
faith,  and  grow  up  by  the 
increase  of  God  to  a  perfect 
man  in  Christ  Jesus.  Amen. 
Lord,  I  believe,  help  mine 
unbelief. 


Glory  he  to  God  the  Father, 
/Son,  &c. 

After  the  receiving  the  Cup 
of  blessing. 

It  is  finished.  Blessed  be 
the  mercies  of  God  revealed 
to  us  in  Jesus  Christ.  0 
blessed  and  eternal  High- 
Priest  m,  let  the  sacrifice  of 
the  Cross  which  Thou  didst 
once  offer  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world,  and  which 
Thou  dost  now  and  always 
represent  in  Heaven  to  Thy 
Father  by  Thy  never-ceas- 
ing intercession,  and  which 
this  day  hath  been  ezhibited 
on  Thy  Holy  Table  Sacra- 
mentally,  obtain  mercy  and 
peace,  faith  and  charity, 
safety  and  establishment  to 
Thy  Holy  Church  which 
Thou  hast  founded  upon  a 
Rock,  the  Rock  of  a  holy 
Faith  ;  and  let  not  the  gates 
of  Hell  prevail  against  her, 
nor  the  enemy  of  mankind 
take  any  soul  out  of  Thy 
hand,  whom  Thou  hast  pur- 
chased with  Thy  blood,  and 
sanctified  by  Thy  Spu'it. 
Preserve  all  Thy  people  from 
heresy  and  division  of  spirit, 
fi-om  scandal  and  the  spirit 
of  delusion,  from  sacrilege 
and  hurtful  persecutions. 
Thou,  0  blessed  Jesus,  didst 
die  for  us :  keep  me  for  ever 


Rev.  xxii.  20. 
I  Mark  ix.  24. 


Ps.  xxxiv.  8,  10 


k  Heb.  xi.  15. 


Heb.  vu.  25,  28. 


PRAYERS  FOR  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


317 


in  holy  living,  from  sin  and 
sinful  shame,  in  the  com- 
munion of  Thy  Church,  and 
Thy  Church  in  safety  and 
grace,  in  truth  and  peace, 
unto  Thy  second  coming, 
Ameii. 

Dearest  JesK,,  since  Thou 
art  pleased  to  enter  into 
me,  0  be  jealous  of  Thy 
house  and  the  place  where 
Thine  honour  dwelleth : 
suffer  no  unclean  spirit  or 
unholy  thought  to  come 
near  Thy  dwelling,  lest  it 
defile  the  ground  where  Thy 
Holy  feet  have  trod.  0 
teach  me  so  to  walk,  that  I 
may  never  disrepute  the 
honour  of  my  Religion,  nor 
stain  the  holy  robe  which 
Thou  hast  now  put  upon 
my  soul,  nor  break  my  holy 
vows  which  /  have  made, 
and  Thou  hast  sealed,  nor 
lose  my  right  of  inheritance, 
my  privilege  of  being  co- 
heir with  Jesus,  into  the 
hope  of  which  I  have  now 
further  entered  :  but  be 
Thou  pleased  to  love  me 
with  the  love  of  a  Father, 
and  a  Brother,  and  a  Hus- 
band, and  a  Lord ;  and 
make  me  serve  Thee  in  the 
Communion  of  Saints,  in 
receiving  the  Sacrament,  in 
the  practice  of  all  holy  vir- 
tues, in  the  imitation  of 
Thy  life,  and  conformity  to 
Thy  sufferings  ;  that  I,  hav- 


ing now  put  on  the  Lord 
Jesus,  may  marry  His  loves 
and  His  enmities,  may  de- 
sire His  glory,  may  obey 
His  laws,  and  be  united  to 
His  Spirit,  and  in  the  day 
of  the  Lord  I  may  be  found 
having  on  the  Wedding- 
garment  ;  and  bearing  in 
my  body  and  soul  the  marks 
of  the  Lord  Jesits,  that  I 
may  enter  into  the  joy  of 
my  Lord,  and  partake  of 
His  glories  for  ever  and 
ever.     Amen, 


Ejaculations  to  he  used  any 
time  that  day,   after  the 
is  ended. 


Lord,  if  I  had  lived  inno- 
cently, I  could  not  have 
deserved  to  receive  the 
crumbs  that  fall  from  Thy 
Table.  How  great  is  Thy 
mercy.  Who  hast  feasted  me 
with  the  Bread  of  Virgins, 
with  the  Wine  of  Angels, 
with  Manna  from  Heaven  ! 

0  when  shall  I  pass  from 
this  dark  glass,  from  this 
veil  of  Sacraments,  to  the 
vision  of  Thy  eternal  cla- 
rity ;  from  eating  Thy  Body, 
to  beholding  Thy  face  in 
Thy  eternal  Kingdom  ? 

Let  not  my  sins  crucify 
the  Lord  of  life  again  :  Let 
it  never  be  said  concerning 
me,  The  hand  of  him  that 


313 


PRATEBS  FOE  SEVERAL  OCCASIONS. 


hetrayeth  Me  is  with  Me  on 
the  Table''. 

O  that  I  miglit  love  Thee 
as  well  as  ever  any  creature 
loved  Thee  !  Let  me  think 
nothing  but  Thee,  desire 
nothing  but  Thee,  enjoy 
nothing  but  Thee. 

0  JesuSj  be  a  Jesus  unto 
lue.  Thou  art  all  things 
unto  me.    Let  nothing  ever 


please  me  but  what  savours 
of  Thee  and  Thy  miracu- 
lous sweetness. 

Blessed  be  the  mercies  of 
our  Lord,  who  of  God  is 
made  unto  me  Wisdom,  and 
Righteousness,  and  Sancti- 
fication,  and  Redemption. 

He  that  glorieth,  let  him 
glory  in  the  Lord".    Amen. 


n  Luke  xxii.  21. 


o  1  Cor.  i.  30,  31. 


oxford:     printed  EY  I.  SHKIMPTON. 


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Berens'  History  of  the  Prayer  Book 

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Child's  Christian  Year 

Cotton's  Explanation  of  Obsolete  Words  in  the  Bible 

Hammond's  Paraenesis,  with  a  Discourse  of  Heresy 

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Sherlock  on  the  Catechism 

Sparrow's  Rationale  on  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 

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The  Book  of  Psalms,  Prayer- Book  Version,  large  typi 

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Wilson's  Sacra  Privata  (entire) 
Wilson  on  the  Lord's  Supper,  (ungarbled  edition) 
Winslow's  Remains,  or  the  Catholic  Churchman 

his  Life  and  Death 

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s. 

d. 

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THE 

PRACTICAL  CHRISTIAN'S  LIBRARY; 

^  5erie«J  of  ®i)pap   publications, 

FOR  GENERAL  CIRCULATION. 

*.    d. 

1.  Learn  to  Die. — [Sutton.] 10 

2.  Practice  of  Divine  Love. — [Ken.] 0     9 

3.  Private  Devotions. — [Spinckes.] 16 

4.  Parable  of  the  Pilgrim.— [Patrick.]        ....  10 

5.  The  Lnitationof  Christ.— [a  Kempis.]       ...  10 

6.  Manual  of  Prayer  for  the  Young. — [Ken.]      .     .  0     6 

7.  Guide  to  the  Holy  Communion. — [Nelson.]  .     .  0     8 

8.  Guide  to  the  Penitent.— [Kettlewell.J    ....  09 

9.  The  Golden  Grove.— [Taylor.] 0     9 

10.  Daily  Exercises.— [Horneck.] 0     9 

11.  Life  of  Ambrose  Bonwicke       10 

12.  Plain  Sermons. — [Andrewes.] 2     0 

13.  Life  of  Bishop  Bull.— [Nelson.] 16 

14.  Death,    Judgment,    Heaven,    and    Hell. — [Bp. 

Taylor.]  0     9 

15.  Companion  to  the  Prayer  Book 10 

16.  Christian  Contentment. — [Sanderson.]  ....  09 

17.  Steps  to  the  Altar 0     9 

18.  Selections  from  Hooker. — [Keble.] 16 

19.  Advice  to  a  Friend. — [Patrick.] 16 

20.  Repentance  and  Fasting. — [Patrick.]     ....  16 

21.  On  Prayer.— [Patrick.] 2     0 

22.  Practical  Christian,  Part  I. — [Sherlock.]   ...  20 

23.  Part  IL— [Sherlock.]   ...  20 

24.  Meditations  on  the  Eucharist. — [Sutton.]  ...  16 

25.  Learn  to  live.— [Sutton.] 2     0 

26.  The  Art  of  Contentment,  by  the  author  of  "The 

Whole  Duty  of  Man." 20 

27.  Meditations  for  a  Fortnight. — [Gerhard.].     .     .  0     9- 

28.  The  Heart's  Ease. —  [Patrick.] 16 

29.  Doctrine  of  the  English  Church. — [Heylin.]       .  0     8 

30.  Manual  for  Confirmation  and  first  Communion   .  0     6 

31.  The  rule  and   exercises  of  Holy  Living. — [Bp. 

Taylor.]         .......  2    0 


Date  Due 

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